Stranded Together | Hermitcraft Mermaid au

Chapter 3: Stormy Seas

Hey guys! I wanted to mention that I feel like these chapters are starting to get kind of lengthy. I don't mind writing chapters that are this long but I was more concerned whether or not you guys liked reading chapters of this length (or more or less if you guys were alright waiting for so long for me to write them =u=). So I guess just feel free to tell me if you like the length of the current chapters or if you want them shorter, or maybe even longer. Alright, that's all, I'll let you guys continue reading. :p

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Xisuma was standing behind the steering wheel of the ship, guiding the ship North, when he felt a drop of water on his forearm. Since he was standing on the deck of a ship that was sailing through the ocean waves, Xisuma didn't give the drop of water a second thought. That was until he felt more drops of water pelt his arms and shoulders. He looked up towards the grey, cloudy sky only to have another drop of water land on his cheek. He flinched then tilted his head back down and used a hand to wipe the raindrop off his face. He should've guessed a storm was coming, especially with the gloomy sky they had been experiencing since early that morning and the increasingly aggressive ocean waves.

Xisuma double tapped a button on the side of his helmet, an accessory he had recently crafted for the sea-bound adventure. A thin sheet of glass dispensed from within the top of the helmet and acted as a visor, preventing the rain from obscuring his vision. He held a study grip on the wheel of the ship and continued on course following his hand held compass as the rain began to fall steadier.

He glanced down at the deck of the ship in front of him to see the other members of the crew working on the deck. As the weather got more aggressive, the action on the deck did as well, with people scrambling about to bring things into the hull and secure anything that could potentially move around. He spotted Iskall and Impulse making sure Zedaph, who was up in the crows nest, had a secure way down to the deck. He also saw False and Joe briefly as they carried supplies down into the hull. Xisuma just continued sailing North as the rainfall increased and the waves in the ocean rose higher.

It had been a half hour or so when Xisuma heard Impulse calling to him over the sound of the storm. The rain had begun to fall at a slant due to the increasing wind speeds and the ocean waves were crashing higher up on the sides of the boat. The sky was darkened by the grey storm clouds over head so Xisuma had to strain to see Impulse, who was standing halfway across the deck, through the stormy weather and the purple tint of the glass over his eyes.

Xisuma wiped the water off of his helmet visor, "What's up?!" He shouted over the rain. Impulse responded by pointing towards the right side of the ship and out at the ocean. Xisuma looked over his shoulder in the direction Impulse was pointing and squinted against the water that had already regathered on his visor.

It was the outline of a ship, seemingly much like their own, far off in the distance. Zedaph likely saw the ship from up in the crows nest, "Speaking of..." Xisuma muttered to himself.

"Shouldn't Zedaph get down from there!?" Xisuma shouted to Impulse, not sure if the other man could even hear him halfway across the deck of the ship. Xisuma knew it wouldn't be the best situation to be trapped in the crow's nest during a storm. Impulse looked upward to the crows nest and probably yelled something to Zedaph, not that Xisuma could hear them over the ocean waves crashing into each other.

Xisuma glanced down at the compass in his hand to make sure they were still sailing in the correct direction. He continued holding the wheel in place although it was starting to make his arms tired, constantly fighting against the aggressive ocean current. In his peripheral vision, even though Xisuma was sure the stormy winds were becoming intense at that altitude, Xisuma watched Zedaph expertly and slowly make his way down the ratline while Impulse made sure the rope lines stayed somewhat still.