Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 55
Sekali awoke to a billion shining stars sharing their light from above. As he opened his eyes slowly, he recalled his dream and shuddered. He also remembered Mabuhi . . . the flood of recalling the battle washed like a great ocean wave over and through him. Sekali was mentally speechless. No one had ever been in his dreams. He stood slowly, feeling the wind upon his face. It felt good.
Looking around, he saw the night crew going about their tasks in the same manner as always. Then he saw a blade upon the deck of the ship, and not the captain’s sword. He reached for the handle of his own sword, and found his sheath empty. Looking back to the deck, he marveled greatly and retrieved it. Sliding it back into its sheath, Sekali was astounded and in wonder. He pondered the meaning of it all, and came to no conclusion. Something had happened. Finally he surrendered to the mystery as breakfast was called out by the cook.
As he ate a breakfast of mush, that was not bad at all, half steamed vegetables and dried fruit, he watched the sun rise from the eastern horizon, and enjoyed the rush of the wind as the Harbringer continued to sail steadily toward the North Lands.
All that day and into the late afternoon, Sekali watched the Harbringer cut into the ocean as they sailed into the north. To him the sea was mesmerizing, and he lost track of time as the currents of the wind sailed past him, keeping him cool against the relentless sun.