((I am with the Sun-Sea. Alex=Orange Everard=Indigo.))
It was a crisp morning with the faint smell of soil and wildlife flowing with the breeze. Below was the green smear of leaves passing below the swiftly traveling ship and above was the clear blue sky. Sitting at the front of the small vessel was a man with long black hair, unrestrained, with a visible tan. He had golden yellow eyes with a slightly elongated pupil, like an animal, and his expression matched that of wolves. He stood at approximately six foot tall with well defined muscles and broad, slouched, shoulders. He wore cargo jeans that were torn in many places bound with a plain belt and a simple white tank top, no shoes. Tilting his nose up to the direction of the wind he sniffed it a few times before wrinkling his nose. The man’s name was Everard Orpheus, but he left it at Ev.
“That friendly dock manager seems to have told us the truth. I smell death in the air, faint, but it is there. It is coming from something with a powerful evil aura or something that has been dead for a long time. Seems like we have finally found our prey, what do you think, Alex?” The man spoke with a deep voice, a little scratchy, almost like an animal. He altered his half closed eyes from the unchanging scenery towards the end of the ship.
About five foot away was another male sitting on a dark blue pillow with white borders, his legs crossed over one another. In front was a small plate that belonged to a tea cup that was currently being held. Taking a sip from the cup with his eyes closed he pondered the question that was asked of him. The man has short dark brown, almost black, well cleaned and styled back hair with only a single group of hairs straying from the rest. This man was shorter than the last, but only by a couple inches, and his skin was a little fairer too. He sat up straight sipping his tea and his expression was kind yet stern with deep blue eyes. Long white robes with black designs for his crest were tied down by a black belt, also holding his crest, made up his attire. He wore white socks visible through the wooden sandals that covered his feet and a simple golden necklace with a small silver locket was wrapped around his neck.
“You may be right about finding our target. The man at the docks did say that the ship in question departed from those same docks just the night before. We have been following behind them for three days now. Not to mention he said that it was poorly understaffed with only the captain and one other crew member. However, we can’t deny the possibility that the ship doesn’t need a crew and is merely taking control of the captain to set the destination. Hopefully, things will go smoothly.” The man known as Alex said. His voice was smooth and held a sort of innocence, yet also held a sort of commanding nature about it from only being a few shades softer than Everards.
“Bah! I don’t! Things have been far too easy lately and I am looking for a reason to go all out!” Everard said with a smirk. “Don’t talk like that Ev! The more danger a mission has the larger the chance is for people to get hurt. Not to mention if you lose control you may very well kill even us!” Alex countered, setting his cup down and looking directly at Ev. His eyes held a deep rooted concern for the man he was speaking to, and his voice held the same. “Tch. It was a joke, a joke. I know very well the danger you accepted when you asked me to come with you, and I won’t forget it so easily. . .” Everard said, looking out to the blue sky so he wouldn’t meet his gaze with Alex. He crossed his arms in a sort of a pout to show he wasn’t telling the complete truth about his joke. “Thank you Ev. You are too good a friend to see injured by the spirits I hunt.” Alex said, picking up his cup again, glad that Everard wouldn’t go seeking trouble. “You are too soft, Alex. A kind fool and others will use that against you.” Everard said quietly, just loud enough for his friend to hear. Smiling silently, Alex sipped his tea, glad to see his friend worried about their safety.
~+~
It was a long hour since their conversation, not a word spoken between them since, when something changed. Looking out to the horizon a silhouette could be seen clear as crystal of the Galleon they were chasing after, the Cleric Pei. Standing up from his pillow having finished his tea thirty minutes before, Alex walked to the upper level of the ship. He flipped a small switch on the control panel that housed the main controls for their ship to turn off the auto-pilot. Grabbing the helm Alex increased the speed of their ship to quickly close in on their target. He slowed down steadily the closer they got, and when their ship got within thirty feet, enough room for them to board the larger ship, he stopped it. Flipping on the auto-pilot and programming it to maintain the position they were at Alex backed away from the controls.
“Do you want me to wake the others?” Ev asked as he walked up to Alex. “Yes, but don’t worry them about this, I will board their ship and meet with the captain. If the ship does possess those who step onto their flanks then I will be unaffected, no need to risk your lives just to gather information. If I don’t return within an hour then I want you to destroy that ship, but such won’t come to be hopefully.” Alex said with a smile and a slight chuckle before walking to the border of their ship. “Okay. . . Alex, be careful.” Ev said flatly before stepping down into the lower level of their ship.
Alex gave a small sigh and stepped over the edge of their ship onto what appeared to be a clear box attached to the side of the ship. He jumped from the box to clear a few feet before landing on another one that appeared below him in an instant. Repeating the process several more times Alex made his way to the side of the ship. He observed the side of the Cleric Pei visible to him, searching for any possible clue before stepping on board. Judging by the unbound rope ladder that was thrown over the side of the ship and the grounding wires as well it was clear that the crew was on the ground below. He was getting a bad feeling from the surroundings non the less though. A dark being was near, but it wasn’t clear if it was the ship or not so he began to slowly pace out across the ship, keeping very wary of his surroundings. ‘This doesn’t feel right.’ He thought.
