Storms of Destiny
Chapter 13: Crystal Bonds
The wind howled louder as the Embarkers' ship cut across the frigid sea. Frostbane Isle was now visible—its jagged glaciers stabbing into the sky, its shores cloaked in a blanket of snow so white it shimmered under the pale sun. A frozen silence surrounded the island, whispering a promise of danger.
But aboard the Aurion, the mood was far from somber.
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Crafting the Crystal Communicators
The crew gathered around the ship's lower deck workshop, where Nira, Lamin, and Sorin were hunched over a table covered with glowing crystals and tinkering tools.
"These," Nira said, holding up a smooth, faintly humming shard, "are going to keep us alive on that island. Trust me."
Sorin raised an eyebrow. "What, no frost-resistant battle armor instead? Disappointing."
Lamin elbowed him. "We're making crystal communicators, not fashion statements, genius."
"Hey, I just want to survive and look good doing it," Sorin grinned, tossing a small crystal in the air and catching it behind his back.
Pol stepped in, arms crossed with a warm smile. "We'll be scattered on that island. These communicators might be the only way we stay connected. Good thinking, Nira."
"Of course," Nira replied with a proud nod. "These Avaris crystals resonate with energy. All I needed was Sorin's steady hand and Lamin's knowledge of amplification nodes."
"And my devilish good looks," Sorin added with a wink.
Nira rolled her eyes.
After hours of meticulous carving, engraving, and humming with energy, ten small crystal devices—each no larger than a thumb—rested on a velvet cloth. They glowed softly, each engraved with a symbol: flame for Pol, twin swords for Kaiden, a compass for Nira, a leaf for Mirae, a dragonfly for Sonia, a wrench for Sorin, and so on.
"Testing time," Nira announced, handing one to Sonia.
She spoke softly, "Can anyone hear me?"
The crystal pulsed, and everyone jumped as Sonia's voice echoed out of Lamin's crystal. He grinned.
"They work!"
The rest of the crew exchanged theirs excitedly, chatting into them like kids with walkie-talkies. For a few minutes, it was chaos.
"This is Sorin reporting from the frozen doom dimension."
"Lamin here. If I hear Sorin's voice again, I'm chucking this off the ship."
"I heard that!"
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The Snowball Incident
Later that afternoon, as the final preparations wrapped up, the crew took a rare moment to relax on the deck.
Sorin, bundled in a scarf three times too long, stood with a mischievous grin. "Hey Lamin," he called.
Lamin turned around, mid-chew on a protein biscuit. "What—"
WHUMP!
A snowball slammed right into Lamin's face, knocking his biscuit clean from his mouth.
The deck erupted in laughter. Even Kaiden cracked a faint smirk.
"You little—" Lamin dove behind a barrel and began crafting a snowball arsenal.
Suddenly, the Aurion's deck turned into a full-scale snowball war. Sonia was surprisingly accurate. Mirae played defense behind Sorin. Arlen, trying to remain dignified, got ambushed from behind by Nira.
Pol, arms crossed, watched from the bow of the ship beside Kaiden.
"Should we join them?" Kaiden asked, deadpan.
"I would," Pol said thoughtfully, "but then I'd have to destroy them all."
"I see. A mercy, then," Kaiden said, nodding.
Another snowball hit Lamin square in the back of the head.
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A Flame Unshaken
That evening, after the snowball armistice was declared, the crew circled a roaring fire at the center of the deck. Hot drinks in hand, their breath curled in the cold air as Kaiden quietly sharpened his blade nearby and Mirae handed out blankets.
"Frostbane Isle is dangerous," Arlen began. "There's a reason few return from it. And now the Order knows we're after something there."
Everyone went quiet.
Pol stood, his face lit orange by the fire. "We're not the same crew that left Avaris. We've changed. Grown stronger."
"You still wear that light shirt like it's summer," Nira muttered, sipping her tea.
"And Kaiden still refuses to wear gloves," Sonia added.
"It's a choice," Kaiden replied flatly.
Pol smirked. "Clothes or not, we're ready. If we stick together—and these communicators work—we'll be fine."
The crew raised their crystals.
"To not freezing to death!" Sorin declared.
"To teamwork," Mirae corrected with a small laugh.
"To victory," Lamin added, glaring at Sorin.
Pol looked over them all and nodded. "To the Embarkers."
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Arrival at Frostbane Isle
At dawn, the icy peaks of Frostbane Isle towered in the distance like frozen gods watching the world. Snow spiraled from above as the Aurion slowed to dock.
The wind sliced across the deck, biting and sharp. The Embarkers disembarked in a single line, winter gear wrapped tightly around most of them—except, of course, for Pol and Kaiden.
"You guys seriously don't feel cold?" Sakani asked, her nose red from the chill.
Pol simply tilted his hat downward. "Not when there's fire in your soul."
Kaiden added, "And stubbornness in your veins."
Snow crunched beneath their boots as they stepped onto the isle, the crystals at their sides glowing softly—each heartbeat a quiet signal to one another.
The journey into Frostbane had begun.
And the Embarkers were ready.
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End of Chapter 13
Next In Chapter 14:Ambush Of Ice