Agatha and Roud had to sail for another half a day. Roud offered to speed up with his light power, but Agatha, after the last experience, refused and convinced Roud to take a moment to relax after such a horrible time in the tombs, and to sail with the nice weather outside and the outstanding landscapes they would encounter.
The journey went quite well; sometimes other boats and ships passed from the other side of the Emerald root in the opposite direction, and sometimes they were passed by other ships because of higher speed. At almost dawn, they had to make the maneuver to exit the Emerald root, but they got lucky: it went quite smoothly. Roud asked Agatha to help him with the sails while he was at the helm. Usually, he pulls them by himself from the helm with long ropes hanging from them, but since Agatha wanted so much to sail, Roud thought to let her sail to her fullest potential...ahah.
They sailed across some other Islands, crossing them under them or over them till they reached a foggy mist...
“Roud? Are you sure this is the way to the tower?” asked Agatha...
“Yes, I am sure, indeed”, said Roud while sailing with one hand on his helm. An apple in his other hand, ready to be eaten. Meanwhile, Bracchius was sleeping on a bench.
Right after they passed the fog, there it was...a small Island of its own. A tower in it, and at the top a grass field with a house. The house was quite nice and had some little parts like a castle shape. The roofs were blue, and there were some trees around. You could also see a small orchard nearby. The wind was strange... very strange, the more they got closer to the Island...
“Roud??” asked Agatha, “Are you sure this is right?”
“Mmmmh...honestly, I have no idea...” replied Roud while driving the ship towards the grass field...
The winds started to change direction, some from right to left, some from left to right, and others from top to bottom and vice versa. The ship started shaking and changing root continuously...
“ Roud? This is not safe!” shouted Agatha,
“I know...I am...trying...do you want to drive the helm?” asked Roud,
Agatha was too busy hanging somewhere on the ship not to fall off. The ship was trembling, then was pushed to the left, then right again...
“I...will...do it!” said Roud to himself to try to get some courage...
He focused more on sailing and used the ropes very well to set the sails in the right direction...they were almost there...
“Shhhhwooooooooshhhh...” A strong wind from the Island pushed the ship quickly in the opposite direction. Agatha was gripping the mast tightly. Bracchius continued to sleep but unconsciously opened his wings so he was just gently gliding on the same spot again. Roud was sweating with the effort it took to hold the helm and keep everybody from falling...
The ship slowed down...
“What was that?” asked Agatha,
“I guess it is somekind of protection to access the Island...” replied Roud,
“So what do we do? You think we should try again? Can’t you just shout at him from close by? Maybe he will listen...” said Agatha,
“I honestly do not think he will listen from that far away, and the wind is so fierce that not even a Wizard might hear his own voice close to that Island”, said Roud.
“What if it's a trial? Does he put this wind up to protect himself from visitors or from bad people? I would guess it’s a trial, Roud...only the one who masters the winds will have the opportunity to talk to the Wizard...don’t you think?” asked Agatha while walking towards him,
“Well, you might be right, Agatha. The only problem is...are you skilled enough? Or look...there is a door at the edge there, ahah!” said Roud while pointing down. Agatha looked at Roud very sceptically and was annoyed. Her eyes were looking at Roud like “are you kidding me?”
Right there, there was a door; they slowly made a 360° maneuver and headed toward it, with no wind at all. They anchored the ship to a stone next to the door and jumped down.
“Bracchius?...Bracchius? Are you not coming?” asked Agatha with both hands close to her mouth towards the ship. Bracchius woke up. He made a huge yawn and went happily towards the door with them.
“Ok, open the door, Roud...” said Agatha,
“Open the door? What do you mean? You open the door!” replied Roud,
“Well, you saw the door first, so you open the door...” said Agatha again.
“Why would I open the door when you are the closer one to the door right now?” replied Roud,
While the two continued arguing about the door, Bracchius gave it a little push and entered... they did not notice and continued arguing...
“Nononono...now who is the greeeat Wizaaard of Liiight, ha?” asked Agatha,
“Well, I am, but you are older than me anyway...” replied Roud,
“Where...where is Bracchius?” asked Agatha, not seeing him around anymore... they both turned to the open door... they both entered the door with difficulty. Once on the other side, Bracchius was on the floor licking himself to make him more beautiful and clean.
“At least everything is fine...” said Agatha while looking happily at Bracchius.
“What is this place?” asked Agatha,
It was a tight entrance with a stone floor, some lanterns rising to the right, and stairs leading up.
“I guess it's the entrance to the tower, but how many stairs till the top?” asked Roud while looking up...
“We will never know if we do not start!” replied Agatha, and started to walk up the stairs.
Roud followed Agatha, and they both started to walk up the stairs while a very gentle breeze was coming towards them. They walked up for about 5 minutes.
“Roud? Are my legs getting heavier, or am I just feeling tired? Weird...” said Agatha,
The gentle breeze started to grow windy... the higher they went, the stronger it got...
“Agatha, I do believe you were right with a trial...don’t you see the wind is stronger and stronger till the top?”, asked Roud,
“Yes...so my legs are not getting heavier, it’s the air coming from the wind becoming stronger...” said Aghata,
The two continued up for another 5 minutes... at that point, they were close to not even moving their bodies... their steps were going up so slowly, and with such fatigue, they had almost no energy left.
Right in that moment, when they were almost blocked from moving even one step more forward, Bracchius just walked through them like no wind was on him at all...
“What on sky...how???” asked Agatha while her lips were almost towards her face...
“I..thdo thnot thave any thidea...” said Roud with the wind distorting his mouth,
“Bracchius! Come here! Help us, please! Are you a creature of wind, no? Can you help us with some of your last-minute magic? Pleaaaasse...” asked Agatha, truly in need of help,
Bracchius paid no attention at all and just kept walking up the stairs until he disappeared.
“Enough of this!” shouted Agatha, very annoyed, “I am done with this, let’s go back downstairs, Roud! I have an idea!” shouted Agatha,
She was able to move backwards, trying not to...
“Baam!”
Roud just flew against the wall because he turned too quickly...
“Roud!” said Agatha,
“Try to watch your assigned hunter sometimes, don’t you think? You still need some survival lessons!” said Agatha towards Roud. She then picked him from the wall and put him in the right position to walk downstairs.
It took them about 4 minutes to climb down.
“Thank you, Agatha, so what is your plan about?” asked Roud,
“You will see!” said Agatha, quite courageous in her eyes and very focused...
They both went up to the ship, took off the anchor, and flew back to the upper part of the Sky Island.
“So tell me a bit about your sail, what skills does it have?” asked Agatha
“Well, nothing in particular, Agatha...I usually travel by light, but we cannot use my light because it will simply crash the ship into the wind, its way stronger than the power of this wind than my light. I am sorry”, replied Roud.
“I know, I figured that out, otherwise you would have used it already, but which type of sail is this? Is it a number 48-49? Seems like a typical common 48-49...” asked Agatha,
“Mmmh, I honestly do not know Agatha, but I can check the etiquette here, it's quite new sail anyway, it still has it”, said Roud while going to the edge of the Sail to check the etiquette.
“It says it’s a white 48 special Omelette...” said Roud,
“Oh, that is even better!” replied Agatha,
To let you know, dear travelers of books. Some Brenath magical silk have their names for the market based on the food they ate to create the silk. As you may already know, many big companies do not put the names on their special silk with the food they gave them, since many recipes are secret from the laboratory to the other. But the 48 Special Omelette is a very typical, basic Silk sail that many travelers use.
“Let’s go, Roud, give me the ropes!” said Agatha...” and tie yourself somewhere..”
“What? Please do not do anything dangerous...” replied Roud while tying himself to an arm,
Agatha tied her leg close to the helm.
“Now, you will see what a hunter can do!” said Agatha,
She yanked the rope, and the ship engaged speed. She gave a second yank, and the ship gained even more speed...
Roud was solidly tied to the ship.
Agatha gave another yank, and the ship gained full speed... they got close to the grass again, and a huge wind blasted them from the opposite direction...
They both held tight to their positions...then Agatha turned the rope in her air bracelet...
“Miiieeeliissss!” she shouted,
From the Air bracelet came a strong twister that followed the rope till the sail. Once it arrived on the sail, it dissolved into the sail, turning it blue.
Agatha moved the helm 360° and gave three fast yanks to the sail. The sails changed their position opposite direction. She then made two quick yanks, one to the right side, one to the left. The ship blasted again towards the Island even stronger than the previous blast of wind. Roud had his mouth open, not knowing if he should shout or not. The ship was about to crash onto land; this time, no wind pushed them back. Apparently, in the chaos, Roud said “Ag...ha...ta....we....are.....going...to crash...”
Right in that moment, Agatha jumped out of the ship and shouted:
“Radenunvant!”, while pointing her air and water bracelets towards the bottom of the ship,
From the two emerged a mixture of cloud and water, which formed a kind of very spongy, watery cloud at the bottom of the ship. Agatha fell on the grass, Roud almost fainted, but the ship landed safely.
In that moment, somebody was at the door of the house at the top of that tower Island. Someone with a very loooong white beard and fierce azure eyes. A big, long blue hat and a blue tunic. He was drinking some coffee in a very relaxing pose. Bracchius was close to him, cuddling his leg.
“Now...this is what I can call a reckless hunter! Well done, little girl...since you passed the trial of the flying knights, I might have to teach you how to train your beast. You are welcome to join me at your price... oh, hello, brother! How are you doing?” said the Wizard
