Kaya looked down upon Samir as he gazed at the ocean, looking for an answer.
The sky had become gray this morning, abnormally darker than usual.
Quickly, he turned his head back to her, attempting to speak. Even when he scanned words he deemed worthy to say, he closed his mouth, sighing.
Then, ". . . I didn't know what I could do," he said awkwardly.
He saw her expression. Her eyes drooped in disappointment, and she hung her head lower at his response.
She frowned. "It seems like you've made your choice long ago then."
Samir didn't respond. He only gripped the book tighter.
Kaya shook her head as she turned her back on him and began to walk away.
Her feet lightly tapped on the cold steel floor as she refused to look back at him.
Would I have regretted it if I had used my eyes on him? I don't want to use them. I want these people to feel real at least, but they're making it harder each and every time.
As she was about to turn a corner, she saw a larger, broader figure.
His disheveled dark hair covered the sides of his face, and his barely visible gray eyes didn't make contact with hers once. The handle of a dark blade jutted from his pocket as he strolled past her. She stared deeply at him, but he didn't pay attention to her, like she hadn't even been there.
Even with his back turned and his hair hanging on his shirt collar, she couldn't look away.
She tried to say his name, but her voice didn't reach anybody, not even her lips.
. . . Malik . . .
He sat down in the middle of the ship, with his legs crossed, as he appeared to be waiting.
Is he ignoring me? Or did he just not see me, the real me?
Kaya pondered until a collection of other footsteps followed behind her and from the other sides of the corridor.
The sound of tapping against the floor deafened with every passing second until they turned the corner. Then, everyone else passed by her, their bodies directing toward the middle of the ship.
They all peeked at Kaya, eyeing her for just a second. They didn't wave at her, nor smile, barely an acknowledgment, unlike him.
As everybody else sat next to him, Kaya stood, puzzled at what occurred before her.
It's like they're following a sequence I don't get.
As her eyes darted across the view, she hesitantly took small steps closer. She then sat, but kept a distance between the coordinated group and herself.
Would it hurt me if I sat closer?
. . .
A quiet ambience daunted the ship. The slow breaths of each crew member showed they were anticipating something.
Far behind them in the corridor, heavy steps grew louder than the whole crew combined as a grizzled captain marched calmly in front of them.
A loose gold nametag was etched on his gray uniform with black lining. His eyes were more azure than bright skies.
It read: Captain Cyrus.
Kaya knew his name, but she looked at him as if this were her first time seeing him.
The old captain scanned their faces, making a quick glimpse at each of them. His eyes primarily focused on Malik, and then Kaya.
Clearing his old, dry throat, he found a lump in it. "Ahem. I have to say this one way or another, but I know you may not all be pleased. But I am most displeased with myself."
Cyrus furrowed his eyebrows and stepped forward. He stared at Samir, who sat in the corner with his hand clasped on the book.
He shook his head in disapproval. "We all have an affinity for something. Whether our rank or humanity, it all comes to us. But my affinity has led me astray from those I love and what I'm supposed to do."
. . .
"In truth, I had strayed away from the path this ship was meant to go, in search of something only a young boy could dream of," he said, slightly mumbling his words.
Continuing, "We have reached undocumented paths in our ocean. An ocean vaster than you and I can imagine. And I had taken the chance without transparency in my decisions. As your superior, I deeply apologize."
Cyrus looked everyone in the eye, waiting for their reaction.
From all the dull expressions, Zayne stood up to ask a question.
"How long has it been like that?"
Cyrus scratched his silver beard. "Ever since we left the dock of Ishkana to recruit our new comrade. I was thinking about it because it couldn't leave my mind anymore."
Zayne darted his eyes at her, and so did everyone else, except Malik.
"Now, I can tell you blame her to a certain extent as to what happened. Instead, blame me. I am at fault for why we have encountered the things we have since the very beginning . . ." Cyrus appealed.
They shifted their focus from Kaya back to Cyrus.
"But when did you decide to fully change course?" Kamil asked calmly.
All their faces looked awfully calm. After all, they're the Messengers of Mala for a reason.
"It's been . . . some time. I can't even remember the last time I spoke to you like this. What has it been, a month?" Cyrus responded.
Malik's eyes widened, and he looked up at his father.
Then, he blurted, "But why wait until now? What dream could be worth doing all this for?"
"It was a naive dream. A summit so high that you'd label me insane to even think of it. But now, I recognize my duty, and my time has far passed the pursuit of it."
Malik asked another question. "But did you think it was worth it?"
Cyrus sighed. "At the time, yes."
"But it seems like you easily gave up on it," Malik commented.
"I had woken up. Just like you, son," Cyrus said.
Malik sneered. "Something tells me that you aren't telling the full story."
. . .
Crackle!
Thunder cracked in a white strand. It reminded Malik of the pale man he saw in the mirror.
Before they knew it, the sky had been fully submerged in gray, and the clouds were no longer visible.
A fog had begun to ensue, making the far ocean an enigma to look past. Anything past the railing of the ship was an enclosure of sea.
The waves from below cried louder this time and rocked the ship like a crib.
Crowds of thunder displayed in white strands illuminated beyond the fog in a light show.
Cyrus snapped his fingers and silently told the crew to follow protocol. Then, everyone stood up and walked back to the corridor. Kaya soon followed after.
However, one remained. Malik.
Cyrus walked past him, shaking his head. "You should go back there."
Malik only nodded as the old captain went for the corridor.
Then—
Whoosh!
A large gust of wind propelled Malik to the side, pulling him like a feather in the air.
His body flew almost like a ragdoll, and he caught the railing at the last second with his hands.
Hugging his body tighter to the railing, he pulled his blade out and stabbed it in, ensuring he wouldn't be pulled away.
Malik hadn't screamed. Even if he did, it couldn't be heard past the storm.
. . .
Minutes passed, and Kaya looked around. She noticed that Malik hadn't come back. She didn't need her eyes to turn golden to discern the worst.
Immediately, she ran to Zayne, asking him where Malik could be.
"I thought he'd be with you," he responded, confused.
Kaya gasped, waving for Zayne to follow her. They both raced up the stairs of the corridor as the rest noticed Malik's disappearance and followed after them.
As she turned the corner, Kaya was pushed by the wind into the railing. Zayne hugged the railing tight as they looked at Malik on the same railing, only farther away.
Both of them used the metal bars as support to reach closer to him.
As they pulled closer, they could see the blade stabbed into the steel and the struggling but quiet demeanor on Malik's face. Any longer and he would've been claimed by the storm.
As time passed, Kaya grabbed Malik's arm when they reached him. Zayne followed, grabbing his other arm.
They stood in front of him, and Kaya signaled to pull on her count.
"On three." She paused. "One, two—"
Slam!
Their combined force caused Malik to crash into the floor.
"Oh god, Malik! Are you okay? Why the hell would you just stay here?"
Instantly, he got up like it didn't affect him whatsoever.
"I wanted to see who would save me first, and it seems I was right." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
Zayne laughed. "What he really means is that he got lost in thought and got pulled away like an idiot. Don't listen to him."
Kaya grinned and slapped Malik on the back, telling him to get in the main hall.
The rest of the crew watched from afar, Cyrus behind them all, as they successfully made it back.
. . .
Later, the crew sat in the middle of the corridor with golden chandeliers above them.
The gray storm brewed outside, but the door to the inside was sealed shut, so no wind could blow them away anymore.
Lias snickered. "That was really stupid of you, man."
Malik laughed, a laugh that felt forced. "Ha! You know how I am."
This time, he didn't seem gloomy like in the morning. He was able to look people in the eye and not have to let a blade talk for him.
He bumped shoulders with Kaya and was able to look at her this time.
Kaya smiled brightly at him. She felt a warmth she didn't want to let go.
The crew's laughter was background noise, as he was her only view at the moment.
It's like he's a different person from this morning. I'm guessing he had time to ponder during the storm.
Then, she heard a laughter, a distinct one that overshadowed the others. She hadn't heard it in what felt like months.
Cyrus clapped as he laughed next to an insecure-looking Samir.
"Ha! But in all seriousness, I'd like to apologize for all the time that I've kept it hidden from you."
The crew gave him an odd look. Wasn't he just cackling about old stories not even a minute ago?
"I had chosen the worst time to reconsider my actions. And now, I realize it is far too late to take action," the old captain mumbled.
"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Malik asserted his question. His tone felt accusatory.
Cyrus sighed. He looked up at the golden light from above, then glanced back down.
". . . We have entered a domain with our lives in the hands of fate itself."
. . .
Crash!
An indescribably large wave rocked the ship harder than anticipated and knocked each member to the floor or hurled them into the walls.
Their bodies scrambled on the floor from the sheer impact as each of them lay unconscious.
Then, the sloshing of waves calmed, only for a moment, but the storm kept intensifying.
Each of their bodies rolled to another position, and they were all separated from each other this time.
Separated, but for how long?
None would be able to tell if they were separated for a few minutes or a few years . . .