𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐲

『 𝖎𝖎. the woods will haunt you like a frigid breeze 』

Fiji awaited them, and the task didn't feel as daunting as it did the day before.

When she boarded the ship, running before Meris' spell gave out, the thought of fighting a pirate filled her with dread. Going onto a ship, letting herself float into sea without sight of land – that thought was terrifying. New, untreaded territory, away from anything she's ever known. She never thought going to Seagarde would end with her trying to collect a bounty on a pirate, but Commander Harlan was right; with the docks destroyed, it was more important than ever to protect the ships from Blackthorn.

So, she pushed aside her fears and joined her companions (she'd call them friends, or close to it now) on the ship.

She no longer feared any pirates.

They could only pale in comparison to the night before, with Nadja being pulled up by a creature of Death, marked by its cold touch. Her own encounter when she tried to save her, only to be engulfed by flames. She cursed herself for not bringing any books on the Undead, looking them over for anything that give her any clue about what that thing was, but it was to no luck. Nothing.

But as night fell again, they approached the island. Nim's cheerful cry rang out, but the cheer came to a pause as they got closer, bringing everyone closer onto deck. She peered over the side, squinting to see because it couldn't possibly be right...this – it couldn't be Fiji, could it?

The crew turned in towards each other, muttering to themselves.

"It's larger than I remember –"

"There shouldn't be that many trees..."

"Was it always that big?"

And truly, she could found herself left in confusion as well. Looking at Liadon, then to Audra and Nadja, she took a step back. The island before them wasn't tropical. Not full of beaches with glistening sand, or palm trees and a possible cove to explore. No – these were woods.

Before them, there were dark, tall trees encapsulating the island and it all felt so...wrong. Captain Orin stepped away from the wheel, attempting to understand the situation better, and when he did, she saw the wheel turn. Not slightly, but fast, spinning. Her eyes widened, and panicked, she called out with Nadja, "Captain!"

"Oh, shit!" he rushed back, attempting to gain back control, but got lost in the current of the wheel, faltering, becoming crushed. Her companions rushed forward, but she just felt...frozen.

Staring at the scene before, the sound of bones cracking, she could only stand until the captain's body was dragged away from the wheel with Audra shouting out, "Fraeya!" which snapped her out of her fear. Throwing herself forward, she brought her hands down to his ribs, praying to Mystra and watching the bone stick back up in his chest.

Nadja was yelling, running to the front of the ship. Cannonballs went off in response. A root was under them, growing onto the sides of the ship.

The island was inviting them in.

No –

Not inviting them. Forcing them in. It was pulling them towards the island rapidly, bobbing them along the ocean, wind whipping in their faces.

She held onto the captain and the side of the ship, shutting her eyes to shield them. Think, Fraeya, she had to think! Opening her eyes, all she could see was trees splitting, spearing into them. They were going to crash if they didn't get off, but the captain was going to die if she threw him overboard. He was in position to swim. That's if any of them were in the position to swim to shore from where they were in the water.