Becoming Legend

"Necromancers—raises the dead back to the world of the living. Last time 'some' aspiring necromancer did it, succeeded, it almost sparked a war between two Kingdom," Lady Darcey said. Massaging her temple.

Ned wasn't sure if it's because of him lacking the knowledge about magic or because she drunk too much seafoam ale. "And where or who is this 'some' you're talking about, captain?" Ned said.

"Dead, gone, off," she said. Waving her hands with each word. She added. "Witches, according to some traveling farers, before, they were considered forbidden. Even till now at some part of the Zolin Empire. The emperor their, hunt witches, ahh! poor girls. Witches are strong lad. Too strong, they can bend ye life with their free will alone. And, speaking of Life, occultist, probably the violent of the three. Ye met one. The assassin wrapped with bandages."

Ned nodded. The black energy surrounding him started to calm. And, slowly, they evaporated. "If they're strong, how did you capture Echo?" Ned said. He gazed at his arms. Looking at the evaporating black energy.

"Whose Echo?" Lady Darcey said. Raising one of her brows.

Hmm, who are you? Are you really Echo or Ri'iarii? Ned thought. But it seems that he wasn't lying when he told me his name. "The assassin you captured? the one with a bounty on his head."

"Pfft," Lady Darcey scoffed. Pulled open the drawer. And reached something. "You mean him?" she said. Passing a piece of old and tattered parchment.

Ned reached for the paper. Folded it open. There he saw a figure drawn with dark ink. The figure was covered with bandages, but only his left eye was revealed. Some thread of hair flung on his head and front of his eye. At the top was writing that read 'Wanted' at the bottom of the image of the man drawn inside a frame was another writings. 'Only Alive'. Another line was added at the bottom. His name based on the wanted poster. 'Last known name 'Laphokov'.' At the bottom of the name were other writings, some sort of warnings or cautions. 'Warning. Possibly a Shifter. Capture only in the daytime. Bounty: 200 Gold.'

Ned paused staring at the old parchment. "Laphokov," he muttered. "Wasn't his real name too. Also, it was written here the bounty of his head is 200 gold. First time hearing that gold was used to trade."

With the last of the ale gone. Lady Darcey almost stood, looking for another bottle of seafoam ale. But only to be interrupted by Ned's question. "Ye, lad," she said. "Ye, really don't know anything about the world, do ye? listen. Picas were first used by common people. Especially far from the continents of Casan and Ekan. Since living outside these continents was harsh. It would be lucky for them to get a hold of bronze and silver. By then, merchants, later on, used Pica to trade with common people. Adopted it, eventually, people outside get used to it."

Lady Darcey opened the drawer once more. Grabbing coppery-brown metals and slightly throwing it at Ned's. The metal rolled and three of it clanged with one another. "That's bronze, don't worry, once ye get to Bogblot, ye'll be seeing a lot of it. So, 100 Pica is 1 bronze. 100 bronze is 1 silver. And 100 silver is 1 gold. Remember that, ye lad."

So the bounty is 200. Then the denomination is— Ned thought.

[20, 000, 000 Pica.]

20, 000, 000 Pica. Ned smiled. At least he knew ICE, Was there. Attentive. Thanks, ICE.

[Anytime, Ned. Ye know ye can count on me.]

Ned slightly staggered, sitting at atop the barrel. Now, you're making jokes? Ned thought.

[Trying to lighten your mood, Ned.]

Ned smiled and continued. "20, 000, 000 Pica will lead your crew to a new life," Ned said. "it's a great amount... Well, was a great amount. So where is this 'Laphokov' now?"

"20, 000, 000 is massive for commoners, but us, pirates, two—maybe three months of it will last if us were frugal. Enough to maintain the Lobby for months. Me crew are still looking for him."

"But you didn't answer me, captain. If Laphokov a forbidden, which means he's powerful. So, how did you captured him?"

"Laphokov is an Occultist. It wasn't sure if he was really a Shifter. But, if ye knew their weaknesses. They are easy to capture. First, One weakness of an Occultist is their strength. Their name, if, for some reason ye knew their name. 'Their real name' they can't harm ye in any other way. Yes, they're powerful. Very powerful. But, once ye know their real name. They could be ye're lapdog for the rest of ye life, lad. They can conjure curse, but, it will not hand ye. So remember. One. Their real name."

Ned nodded. Wondered if the one Echo gave him was his real name. Because if it was. Ned showed a smirk. "And the other?" he said.

"Second, this is how I captured Laphokov. Ye needed an item to interrupt the flow of their mana. But these items are expensive. It couldn't be bought by Pica or Gold either. In me life, Me only get a hold one of this item. It's called 'Incolobos'. Created from the Empire of Zolin. Trading it is forbidden. Me lucky to get a hold of one," Lady Darcey informed Ned. Her shoulder shrugged and lowered. "But, me just wasted it. Anyway, Incolobos works by cutting the flow of mana. The basic of a magic lad is a gesture. Ye see, and ye know, raising a hand will connect the mana in ye body. For simple magic, raising a hand is enough to conjure it. For more complicated spells, it also requires a complicated gesture. Don't tell me," she paused. Looking at Ned completely eaten by her explanations. "Ye didn't know this lad?!"

Ned turned to look at the horizon, the breeze of the frigid wind entered the captain's cabin. He looked at the setting sun, with an embarrassing face. He gazed back at lady Darcey and said. "Well, I wasn't taught magic." Scratching his face. Back at the Empire of Sskat, all I needed was to think of a spell. The rest, my body will just do the rest. But here. Guess the academy will teach me a lot of things about magic. About this world. And maybe—about Marks. Ned's eyes opened, enough for lady Darcey to notice.

"Ye okay, lad?"

Ned's face went back to his usual facade. Stern, and eyes looking deep. "Lady Darcey," he said. "Do you know anything about a Mark?"

Lady Darcey leaned an arm on the wooden table. And with the four of her finger, with the pinky missing, she tapped the table harmonically. Her left gripped the hilt of the cutlass hanging on her waist. She looked at the empty bottle of ale. "Me sorry, lad," she said. Turning her head sideways. And looked at Ned with a stern face. "Never heard of it."

Ned waved his hand. "Don't mind it. So what n—"

The door stripped open and a child figure entered the captain's cabin uninvited.

The muscles in Lady Darcey's jaw twitched. Seeing who the figure was she paled.

"Big brother!" Anita cried. Rushing her wooden foot towards Ned. She stopped beside Ned and leaned her head forward. "I did what you asked big brother Ned!"

Ned smiled, and tapped Anita's hair. And proceed to lecture her. "Anita. It wasn't right to just barge inside someone's room. Okay?"

Anita's core turned white and grey, she lowered her wooden shoulder along with her arms. "I'm sorry big brother," she said her voice was solemn. "Don't get mad big brother, Anita said sorry."

"It's okay," Ned said. Brushing more of Anita's hair. "I'm not mad. Say your sorry to the lady here." Pointed his eyes toward the paling captain.

Anita turned and slightly bowed across Lady Darcy. "I am sorry," she whispered.

Lady Darcey gave Anita a cold shoulder and gaze Ned. "Lad, ye stay here, I'll check on Sisi," she said. Stood hurriedly without waiting for Ned to reply. And ran towards the abandoned door. Passing it and closing it with a bang.

Ned could hear Lady Darcey's voice and the others clamoring. Behind the wooden door and wall.

"Where's Sisi?"

"How was she?"

"Tell me, girls!"

"She fine captain, she needed more rest."

"Help me carry her!"

"Lady Baba!"

"Call Lady Baba!"

"Anita you stay here for a moment, okay?" Ned said. Pointing a barrel for Anita to sit. Ned spun around and stared at the empty horizon. It was dusk. The setting sun was gone. Stars slowly appeared, waving their light at the people below. The horizon blew a frigid air. With it, Ned remembered something from his past. "Kamma," he mumbled. Ned's shoulder shivered.

[I am sure. Kamma is fine, Ned.]

ICE responded.

Ned wasn't sure if she heard ICE correctly. As if ICE's response was a bliss. Ned lifted a part of her lips.

Ned heard a scribble behind him. He turned around, only to be surprised by Anita's scriptures on the map.

"What are you doing, Anita?"

"Uhmmm," she said. "Just fixing this old representation of the new world, big brother Ned." Her wooden limbs moved as if it was a blur. Her markings on the map were precise. Every line was measured. The quill with dark ink she got beside the old map was almost finished. Some parts were redrawn by Anita. Perfectly scrabbling and tampering the old once. She made it as if it was like a new illustration. Anita was so entranced, she forgot to look at Ned and be cheerful.

Ned frowned. "How, do you know these things, Anita?" he asked. The old map—Sorting of the Seven Seas—was almost finished. She didn't just fix the map. She even added more to it.

"My Father taught me things, big brother Ned," she said. Throwing the quill at the side. Looked at Ned and smiled. Her face looked exactly like a doll. Even with all the fightings, it was smooth and blemish-free. "I'm done, big brother. Do you like it?" once again, she leaned closer to Ned.

Ned reached for her hair to brush. Looked at the old map with studying eyes. ICE, copy it.

[Done, Ned.]

The old tattered map was completely redrawn by Anita. Ned raised his brows and studied the map. At the upper left top. Anita wrote the name of the map in a universal language. Ned moved closer to the map, leaned, and read the writing. "Earflgard."