Aether : Calraem

Chapter 61: Cortez, Calico & Dreams(2)

There.
In the far distance.

Can you see it?

Enhancing my vision with a spell, I could see a faint light burning in the distance. I use the word "burning" instead of "glowing", because of its strange behaviour. It was almost like a ball of flames travelling in the sky, lighting up the nearby surroundings.

"Are those flames?" I asked, grabbing my chin in thought. "They behave... strangely."

"It's the flames of the Xenon Clan," Calico responded without missing a beat. "Their flames disrespect physics."

"Of course they do...", I muttered, exasperated.

What next, one of his cousins can manipulate reality into ice cream? Or maybe The Queen has a younger sister that can commit genocide by blinking?

The fact that they can do the impossible so casually is quite vexing.

Then again, it could also explain Calico's blunt behaviour.

Limits were placed not only on his strength to help those around him, but also on how much he could reveal about himself and everyone he knew. Even as a pirate he was limited as to what he could express about himself.

What a lonely experience.

Maybe all those insults were his method of coping with -

"Those rotting eyes will be the one thing I wouldn't mind forgetting, Captain."

"..."

...

... Tch.

Sad backstory, my ass. You can screw off for all I care, bastard!

As I lamented the fact that even to the end my First Mate does not ease up on his words, the "burning" flames had come much closer and much faster than I predicted. It must have been less than a kilometre away.

The flames, as they approached, formed the shape of a large chariot with intricate patterns and complex magic circles above and below it. Pulling it along were four flaming horses that must have been the sizes of a small house. Damn, they were huge!

"--"

Once the chariot landed, two dragonmen climbed out and stood at the door, each armed with a set of weapons. Their features and overall demeanour were very different to that of Calico and Kasper, but I could tell that they were of the same race.

"Let me guess," Calico suddenly spoke up, heaving a sigh and bored expression. "The third member is none other than that walking anus, isn't it?"

"Tch," one of the armed dragonman clicked his tongue, frowning like a horrible taboo had been broken.

"Calico Jack Vor'Arlet," the second one spoke, apparently unaffected. "Good to see you. The Lord wishes the two of you could have a nice chat as we go back... Who are you?"

That question wasn't directed at Calico, but rather, at a certain lazy Sea Emperor with a foul gaze. I almost laughed at how stern his expression was.

"You visit my island in the middle of the night and plan to take away a valuable crew member of mine and yet have the nerve to ask what my name is?"

I took a step forward and as soon as my foot landed on the ground, mana pulsed from me causing a large number of magic circles to appear on the ground, shifting in different sizes and colours to emphasize a point:

They are set up is all over this island; I can turn any place on this island into my domain if I so wished.

The respectful dragonman's expression was perplexed. "Do you think you could face me battle? If so-"