Sinbad, this is Crystal.

Chapter 4

Pipirika and Hina cut and cooked the serpent, save the horn. They gathered around a fire and Pipirika handed Crystal and Sinbad their share of the meat. At the sight of the fresh meat, Sinbad started drooling uncontrollably and staring at it with sparkling eyes. 

Crystal leaned in close to Sinbad and amusingly said, "Should we leave you two alone?" while pointing at the meat.

Sinbad made a face directed at Crystal. "Ha, ha, ha."

She giggled. They grabbed each of their meat kabobs and began to eat.

"So, while we're eating tell me more about Imuchakk," Sinbad said to Hina and Pipirika.

"Oh, yeah. I'd like to know about Imuchakk as well," Crystal added.

"Imuchakk..." Pipirika pondered for a little while, "It's pure white!"

Crystal chuckled a little, but shivered soon afterwards as a gust of wind flew past her. Sinbad almost immediately noticed.

"Are you all right, Crystal?" he asked. He was draped in a thick rag and wore a jacket underneath, so he wasn't cold at all. But Crystal only wore a thin long sleeve shirt and a skirt. She had to be cold.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," she assured him. It's just a small breeze, it'll go away soon.

Night was beginning to fall as they continued to talk.

"What kind of ruler is your king?" Sinbad asked.

"You mean our father? He's the patriarch here," Pipirika replied.

"Really? That's great!" he said.

Crystal noticed how Hina wasn't speaking at all. She wanted to talk to him, to see why he was being so unbelievably quiet. But she ended up keeping her mouth shut.

"Would you mind taking with you to Imuchakk?" Sinbad asked.

Hina looked taken aback at Sinbad's question.

"Listen Sinbad. The thing is outsiders aren't welcomed in our community. More than likely you'll be ostracized for-" Hina was cut off by Sinbad.

"I don't care. It's an unfamiliar country filled with unfamiliar people. I want to visit every country. So I can change the world," he declared bravely.

Hina's eyes glowed with astonishment. 

But, Hina had walked onto the shore not long after Sinbad's speech in an attempt to forget it.

"All right, I'm going to clean up," Pipirika said.

"C-can I h-help?" Crystal asked. The sun had completely gone down and Crystal was hugging herself so tightly, she could have lost circulation in her entire body had the cold not done it already.

"No, it's all right, Crystal. You just need to stay warm," Pipirika said sympathetically.

Sinbad went after Hina, who was currently staring at the sea on the edge of the shore. A bright moon and glittering stars reflected on the crystalline-like ocean.

"I apologize," Sinbad said to Hina.

He looked up in surprise.

"That big narwhal wasn't mine to capture," he paused," But, I saw how hard you were fighting to save your sister."

"That was damn impressive!" Sinbad said cheerfully with a happy smile.

"You really think so?" Hina slowly said.

"Well of course I-"

There was a sound of something falling into the sand. Sinbad turned around and saw Crystal trembling as she tried to get up.

"Crystal!" Sinbad yelled, immediately running to her side.

He gently picked her up.

"You're cold as ice," he said quietly as he draped the rag over her.

Hina rushed right over.

"We have to get back to our village. Maybe Father can help," he suggested.

Pipirika also came right over after grabbing her supplies and saw Crystal shaking violently, hugging the rag around her shoulders as Sinbad carried her up into his arms. Her two legs were being hugged by Sinbad's arm and the rest of her was being held up by Sinbad's other arm and pressed against his warm body.

"Let's get back to the village," she said.

Sinbd nodded urgently and they started on their way.

Walking back to Imuchakk was no easy feat, but when they made it there, Crystal had adjusted herself to Sinbad's warm body temperature and stopped shaking. 

"Pure white land, big strong-built houses, this is incredible!" Sinbad exclaimed.

The houses were bigger than the Abarae narwhals and two times the height. Wooden huts with largw tusks as doorways and patterns uniquely drawn on each house. It was a sight to behold. Not to mention Crystal's body heat returning made Sinbad feel more at ease. 

That was definitely the best part.

As Sinbad was going to walk through the village gate, an incredibly tall and huge man with long blue hair stood in front of Sinbad. He had a scar that went down his right eye and stopped at his cheekbone, one that went from his forehead and slashed diagonally to his jawline, and an "X" scar at the bottom of his chin. His eyes were a hazel-amber, like Hina's and Pipirika's. He dawned a large blue coat with fur and white symbol all over it. He held what looked like a narwhal horn in his left hand.

"You're finally home, my children," he said in a deep, gravelly voice.

Next to Pipirika, he was almost three time as tall. Next to Hina, he was nearly twice Hina's size. 

"Father!" Pipirika exclaimed in joy and she ran up to him to hug his side.

"We have completed our journey, Father," Hina said with a bow.

Sinbad stepped forward in front of him with Crystal on his back. 

Father looked down at Sinbad.

"And who is this with you?" he asked, directed at Hina and Pipirika.

"My name is Sinbad, and I am venturing to all parts of the world in order to-"

The Narwhal horn Father held was now being pointed at Sinbad.

"You have ventured into Imuchuakk. Outsiders are not welcome in our domain." Father said with an calm but intense aggression.

"But Father..." Pipirika said urgently.

"Please, Father, Sinbad is-" Hina tried to reason with Father.

"Dearest son, you've finally become one of us, a warrior," Hina's head lowered in what looked like shame," You have a responsibility to protect our people from all threats. Never forget that."

Father's Narwhal horn lowered and he turned around to speak to his subjects.

"Yes, sir," Hina said quietly.

"Tonight is the Maharegon Feast! Let's prepare for the celebration!" Father declared with joy.

The crowd then erupted in cheers.

Sinbad stepped forward once again and said," Please, just some shelter. My friend, Crystal, might freeze to death."

Crystal glanced at Father and met his eyes. They shared a short, intense moment of eye contact. And she smiled at him. 

Father sighed and complied.

"Of course I can give some shelter," he said.

Crystal gleamed and hugged Sinbad tighter than she already was, bringing her head closer to Sinbad's chest and closing the grip of her arms around his neck gently. Sinbad happily nuzzled her face with he neck and chin.

"But make no mistake, if you foreign strangers pose any trouble at all, I will cut you down right there." Father finished coldheartedly.

Sinbad smiled nonetheless and said," Still, thank you."