About Crystals and Stars (On hold)

5-2

A/N: Aaaaand the second part of the new chapter. 

Luck seemed to be on his side.

Shimon had managed to get on the rowing boat unnoticed. Pushing it off of the shore, he felt his insides twist around again. He grabbed the paddles and started rowing. After a few tries, he understood, how he was supposed to use them.

One heave after another diminished the queasy feeling and he quickly made a few hundred inches. Now he had to head for Crystal Island. He only knew that it was supposed to parallel to the north eastern parts of Tsuchimikado. But he couldn't be certain he found it.

It was the most reckless thing, he had ever done. He could die out there on the sea, never reaching his goal.

For a moment he wondered, if the risk was worth it. But then the image of Sayo and Keiji smiling at him appeared in front of his inner eye.

It was.

It was worth it a hundred times.

Rising his eyes to the sky he looked for the position of the sun. It was on the left to him, still rising from the east. He tried to maneuver the boat with the paddles, until he was almost certain he had the right position.

That's when he heard a load yell from one of the fisher boats, "Hey!"

Not stopping to row, Shimon looked at the fisher standing on his boat and waving his hands.

"You there, stop!"

Shimon continued to row more energetically. When he looked up, he could see the other fishers standing on their boats now, too and trying to get the soldiers at the harbor to notice them.

And they did. More and more figures came running to the harbor. A few of them quickly drew their bows. Soon an arrow hit the sea right next him with a splash. Despite the distance between himself and the coast, it got dangerously close.

Another arrow soon followed, too fast to follow with the eye, it rushed down and buried its tip in the wood of the rim of his boat.

Anxiety rose within Shimon. If he didn't get farther away, he would surely die. Either being pierced by an arrow or by a pursuing boat.

With all his strength, Shimon pushed the boat forwards.

His arms started to burn already. He wouldn't have thought, that rowing was this exhausting.

Nevertheless he pushed against his limits. Rowing further and further away from the coast, out of the reach of the arrows raining down at him and breaking through the water's surface.

Another one hit the boat, directly in front of his feet, its peek sinking deep into the wood. Shimon continued to row.

He didn't give way to the exhaustion until he could hardly see the fisher boats and was out of reach of the rain of arrows. With burning muscles he slowed down the rowing.

So far he didn't see anyone who followed him.

And for a moment he wondered, why they didn't. But he couldn't engage himself with hypothetical thinking. He needed to get to the Crystal. And hopefully fast. If he stopped rowing, he would lean over the railing off the boat throwing up his guts. And so he rowed.

Hours seemed to pass while he rowed and rowed. He wasn't sure how much time passed. The sun stood high now and burned against his face. Hepulled his hood deeper over his head, despite the strong breeze that threatened to blow his hood off any moment.

He saw nothing but sea for a while.

Nothing on the left, nothing on the right. Nothing behind him but water.