Nyx
Nyx paced the deck, the sound of her boots striking the damp wood marking her restless thoughts. It had been a few days since she had rescued him from the cruelty of the sea, and yet she couldn't stop thinking about the man unconscious in the infirmary below—Raiden Veyne. The name had spread through countless ports she'd visited, whispered in taverns, and traded like currency among sailors. Stories of his daring recklessness, his ability to navigate storms that would break lesser captains, and his mysterious connection to the forces of nature had earned him a reputation that was equal parts legend and danger.
Nyx had heard enough tales to form an opinion about him before they'd ever crossed paths. Raiden was brilliant, bold, reckless—a man driven by something deeper, perhaps even darker, than ambition. But now, seeing him in the flesh, battered and broken, the stories felt distant and incomplete. He was no untouchable figure here—he was a man, human and vulnerable, stripped of everything but the breath in his lungs and the faint pulsing glow of the artifact she'd seen clutched in his hand.
She paused in her pacing, her hand brushing the hilt of her cutlass as her gaze swept across the ship. Silas stood nearby, arms crossed as he watched her with sharp, steady brown eyes. They'd questioned Raiden's surviving crew already, establishing not only the man's identity but the weight of what had been lost. His ship, the Thunderborn, was no more—swallowed by the ocean, its splintered remains a stark reminder of the peril they'd all faced.
But Raiden himself? That was the part Nyx couldn't let go of. She leaned against the railing, scanning the distant horizon as Silas spoke beside her.
"They confirmed who he is," Silas said, his tone calm but thoughtful. "That man downstairs, he's everything the stories say he is—and more, if you ask me. Reckless, brilliant, probably dangerous too. But now? He's barely holding on, Captain. And we both know why."
Nyx didn't respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the sea, which had settled into an eerie calm in the aftermath of the storm. The ocean had a way of demanding tribute, and tonight it had claimed Raiden's pride and his legacy. The Thunderborn was gone, and Nyx couldn't help but feel the weight of his loss pressing against her own chest.
She let out a slow breath, her voice quieter as she replied, "I don't know what I'd do, Silas. If it were me... losing the Wraith would destroy me. My pride would demand that I go down with her. And now, Raiden's pride has been stripped from him, whether he wanted it or not."
Silas gave her a sideways glance, his brow furrowed slightly. "That wasn't your decision to make," he said carefully. "You didn't give him the chance to choose. You saved him—dragged him out against his will, if that's how he sees it. The way I see it, you gave him a chance to fight another day, even if he doesn't know it yet."
Nyx turned her head to meet Silas's gaze, the flicker of frustration in her eyes tempered by her own understanding. "Maybe. But what good is saving someone if it comes at the cost of who they are? A captain's ship is everything. It's their home, their pride, their life. What did I leave him with, Silas? The ghost of what he used to be?"
Silas didn't answer right away, and Nyx leaned back against the railing, her thoughts spiraling as her mind wandered to the man downstairs. She could see his face vividly, even in her mind's eye—his rugged features, hardened by years at sea, and those storm-gray eyes that had locked onto hers when he'd awakened. They weren't just gray. They held layers of wisdom, pain, and an unmistakable sorrow that struck her deeper than she'd expected.
In those eyes, Nyx had seen something that echoed within her—a reflection of the grief she might feel if her own ship were ever claimed by the sea. She could empathize with him immediately, even if she didn't fully understand what had driven him to this point. He might not know it yet, but they shared the same soul in some ways—both of them bound to the ocean, both driven by forces they couldn't fully control.
Nyx shook her head and straightened, her resolve hardening as she addressed Silas once more. "He might hate me for what I've done, and I wouldn't blame him. But we've crossed paths for a reason. The ocean doesn't bring people together without a purpose."
Silas smirked faintly, though his sharp gaze betrayed his concern. "You've always had a way of trusting the ocean's whispers, Captain. Just be careful with this one. Raiden Veyne might not see it your way, and he's not a man who takes kindly to losing."
Nyx smiled wryly, her expression a mix of humor and determination. "Neither am I. But this isn't about winning or losing, Silas. It's about survival—and figuring out why the ocean decided to drag him into my path. I need to check on Juno the surgeon from Raiden's crew and Alric, I'm sure they are just working so well together."
Silas grimaced at the thought, "Yeah, you'll need all the luck in the sea for that. The combination of both crews hasn't been that easy of an adjustment. I think I've had to break up at least a dozen brawls just today."
Nyx sighed heavily, "Everyone is going to have to learn to work together. We don't know how long Raiden's crew is going to be with us, so cohesion is important now than ever."
There was a moment of silence before Nyx and Silas shared a look.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Silas asked with a small grin.
Nyx couldn't help but laugh, "Yep, rally both crews together on the deck. I'll be up there shortly."
Silas stood at attention, "Yes, Captain. This should prove to be interesting."