Kaer met Gartonk, the pirates' boss, who agreed to offer his services for a rge sum. Kaer paid without ent.

  When Kaer asked Gartonk persistently about a female warrior named Aspera, Gartonk replied that it was the first time he had heard that name.

  The water joured long enough for Kaer to discover that the pirate Gartonk was a man of honor he could rely on. A friendship based on trust grew betweewo. Kaer heard many stories about pirates, totally different from the ones he usually heard around the inns. They were not only thieves, rapists, and murderers; they had a sense of honor that guided them and made them a kind of cultured people.

  Gartonk had a deep knowledge of the sea and its creatures, and he could easily navigate by using the stars. His stories about his travels through the seven seas fasated Kaer, who began to think of him as an honorable man.

  One night, Kaer was overe with the urge to pluo the sea. Shedding his clothes, he leaped into the dark waters. The chill of the salty sea made him shiver.

  The sea was a vast and enigmatic realm, with its intricate ecosystem and ws. Within this domain, humans were merely a minor element. Kaer had never felt so insignifit.

  Gartonk also disrobed and joined him. Together, they bobbed in the shadowy waters. To Kaer, it was as if he had entered a different universe, a stark trast to his familiar reality.

  They swam silently through the obscurity for aended period, abs the sea's acoustidscape. The experience captivated Kaer; he had never been so intimately ected with nature—it was a thrill.

  Buoyed by the waves, Kaer sensed another preseurning, he entered a creature him—a dolphin, its eyes luminous at night. Kaer felt an inexplicable bond with the being, as though they shared a silent dialogue. He extended his hand, caressing the dolphin's sleek, cool hide. The creature appeared to accept his gesture, and a surge of happiness overwhelmed Kaer.

  They spent hours swimming and pying together, expl the sea's mysteries. Finally, they had to return to the ship. Kaer and the dolphin parted ways, but their bond remained. Kaer felt a deep sense of inner calm.

  Later, Gartonk was in his with Kaer. They had a few drinks while they talked.

  "We pirates have some habits. Right now, we are near an isnd where I usually let my people have fun for a night—booze, gambling, pirate stories, and especially women. It is e. We do not e here apanied by strangers. But as I have seen you to be a man of great honor, this time I make an exception, so you are my guest. Look, we are approag the isnd of Ranallonda," Gartonk said, gesturing toward the horizon.

  "I'm gd to hear that. I will apany you with pleasure," Kaer replied, excitement creeping into his tone.

  There were wooden buildings on the isnd, the kind that is often used by the army—built in haste and not meant to st. The buildings were arranged around the middle of the isnd, and there was a square in front of them. A lot of nterns were lit there, casting a warm glow over the gathering crowd.

  Gartonk nded his ship, and the pirates were already running to the nd; they knew where to go and what to do.

  "Do you think the ship is safe here?" Kaer asked etched across his face.

  "You worry too much. My men know what they are doing. We will leave two guards on the ship, but no more," Gartonk reassured him.

  Kaer and Gartohe st oo disembark. They headed towards the lights, drawn by the sounds of merriment ing from the ter of the isnd.

  "What are those lights?" Kaer inquired, looking around curiously.

  "Fire," Gartonk replied, his eyes glinting with amusement.

  "No, I mean the lights in the sky," Kaer said, pointing upwards.

  "Stars," Gartonk answered, chug softly.

  "What about those three yellow ones over there?" Kaer tinued, intrigued.

  "Three stars, very close to each other, but not toug," Gartonk expined.

  "It seems they are ected. I think it's a message that means something," Kaer suggested his brow furrowing in thought.

  "Do you receive messages from heaven?" Gartonk asked, bursting out ughing. "Let's see what message Mrs. Gertrude has for you; she offers the most beautiful women you meet around."

  "Do you believe there are messages from heaven? Kaer pressed. I think that when I am no longer here, it will not be."

  "You're drunk, Kaer," Gartonk added teasingly, waving his hand dismissively.

  "I am not yet," Kaer shot back, ughing.

  "e, we're here," Gartonk said, leading the way toward the lively hubbub of the isnd.

  There were many people gathered at the ter of the isnd, sitting or standing, some even lying down. The atmosphere was hot. Women in various stages of undress, adorned with shimmering jewelry aive smiles, served alcohol from pitchers made of polished wood. In one er, dancers enthralled the crowd on a stage decorated with colored silks.

  Nearby, a group of pirates engaged in a strange game that seemed to blend d skill, their shouts mingling with the music.

  "Gertrude, give me my favorite woman!" a voied above the din.

  "Good evening, Mr. Gartonk. What are you looking for today?" Gertrude replied, her voice smooth like honey. She goward the man whose presenatention.

  "Give me the oh the green hair," he demanded, his eyes glinting.