Ezil and Bandor sat on the floor, cross-legged. In the space between them they each had five stacks of coloured chips, five cards with pictures, and five burning tallow candles. The light emanating from the candles contained the siblings within an amber circle.

At first, Shale assumed it was some sort of southern religious ritual. Her eyes widened as they continued, then she realised this was no spiritual act. It was a game.

Shale was no stranger to games. Years ago, lightboy Naolen had fashioned a dozen sets of wooden dice, which many lightchildren used to play games of chance. One day, lightboy Garem lost and took it particularly bad. He spoilt it for everyone else by informing SanMother Luriene of the games. She and Zeera burned the dice and caned the hands of all suspected participants.

Though the game Ezil and Bandor played seemed a thousand times more complex than anything the lightchildren had played.

"What is this?" Shale asked, stepping closer.

"This is Mystic Chips," Ezil said, "It's a Lamilian game."

Karlar made a noise through his nose.

"You can go look at the sky if you want, Karlar. We'll keep Miss Etaria in one piece. I know how you detest these games."

"Detest is a rather strong word. I'd prefer to say that I value more constructive ways to spend one's time. Why invest so much in a thing that doesn't improve a valuable skill or enrich you as a person?"

"Uh, because it's fun, you flumper. How about that?"

"If you say so. If anyone has need of me, I'll be back on deck, reading." With that, he turned, left, and closed the door.

"Love of Kah," Ezil muttered, "One day that man will learn to relax."

"Flumper?" Shale asked.

"It's a kind of rodent. Imagine the dullest creature possible."

"Oh." Shale lowered herself just on the edge of the amber circle. She analysed the game field as they played on.

It was even more complicated than she'd anticipated, but she started to pick it up, move by move. Basically, each player was allowed to play one coloured chip per round onto one of their five cards. The chips activated different abilities depending on their colour and what card they were played on, and those different abilities resulted in different consequences, depending on the context of the battle. She gathered that the cards were divided into different categories, including heroes, nobility, armies, settings, monsters, and magical beings.

The goal was simple. The player had to defend their royal family, which were represented by their candles, and had to eliminate the other player's. Once all five of the opponent's candles were blown out, the other player was declared the winner. Any given battle could take on endless variations, and thus required an incredible level of strategy.

Ezil used a yellow chip on her Infantry card, causing the soldiers to storm Bandor's Stronghold and take him down to his final candle. His king.

Bandor was sweating. He chewed on his lip as he thought it through, before playing a red chip on his Weather Mage. This caused the mage to cast a fog within the Stronghold, creating confusion and allowing his force to regroup.

It was incredibly entertaining to watch, like an interactive form of storytelling. Where had this game been all her life? She was so engrossed by the events of the battle that she'd almost forgot the very reason she'd come down here. There was only one place to start. "On the deck, Karlar said something about my uncle."

"Did he now?" Ezil asked. "For such an introspective man, our Karlar is quite a fond gossip."

"He called him a Dragonbonder. Is that different from a Soulbonder? Like another kind of magical race?"

Ezil played a green chip on her Grey Knight, causing him to climb the walls of the Stronghold and emerge onto the ramparts. From there, he ran to attack the Weather Mage, in an attempt to cut off the source of the fog. "A Dragonbonder is just another subset of a Soulbonder. You see, each Soulbonder is linked, by spirit, to a specific animal which we refer to as a Bondi. That's where we draw our abilities from. Following so far?"

"I think so."

"So, I'm a Soulbonder linked to a wolf, therefore you could also call me a Wolfbonder. Our dear Bandor is spiritually linked to a lizard, therefore he is-"

"A Lizardbonder," Shale said, eyes widening. Of course. She'd once read about odd lizards in the hotter climates to the south with the most peculiar abilities. It all made sense now. Bandor had never been invisible, else how had Shale been able to perceive him at all? He was just blending into his surroundings, using camouflage, and had only seemed invisible due to the dark of the night. "Wait, so that means my uncle is linked to a-"

"Dragon. Correct."

A dragon. Eleven above. Shale knew all twenty-two known species of dragons. They were documented in one of her favourite library books, An Extensive Study of Dangerous Creatures. To even see a dragon would be a dream come true for most people, providing it didn't see them too, but to actually be spiritually linked to one, sharing its abilities... It was no wonder Karlar followed such a man.

After taking time to consider, Bandor finally played a red chip on his Archers. The soldiers sent a volley into the ramparts, causing the Grey Knight to jump down into the yard, and with the Infantry, take cover within the fog.

Ezil raised an eyebrow. "Just what are you playing at, Bandoragua?"

He shrugged, scratching his chin.

"Do you know what kind of Soulbonder I am?" Shale asked.

"Well, when a Soulbonder has a child, one of three things will happen. Either they will inherit a different animal from the parent's Bondi, or have a different Bondi but still the same species, or they will actually share a three way connection with the same individual creature. Daziran believes this to be the case with you, that you share your mother's Bondi, not just the species."

Hearing that she'd once had a mother was almost as mystical as hearing that she had magical abilities. That topic diverted her attention, but there was some hidden pain underneath that halted any questions. It seemed like something she didn't want to know about right now. That could wait, for when she met her uncle. So instead, she asked, "And what kind of Soulbonder was my mother?"

"A Fireflybonder."

Disappointment panged deep within Shale. Of all the possibilities, of all the deadly creatures, she was linked to a harmless bug? "Will I be able to fly and use fire then?"

"Fireflies aren't made of real fire. That's just a name. All they can really do is glow. Also, Bugbonders don't convert to scale. The size of the Bondi and how different it is from a human is a factor, else the Roachbonders would reign supreme. There is something called the scale power loss trans-"

"The scale power loss transference," Shale said, "The seventh law of magic."

Ezil raised an eyebrow. "You're full of surprises, Miss Etaria."

"So I won't be able to fly either?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Try not to look so glum. You may be able to glide over short distances, and you may be able to glow, partially."

Shale considered this. Although it was true that she could think of hundreds of stronger, faster, more capable animals off the top of her head, it was only last night that she'd learnt she had any powers at all. To glow and glide could be useful under the right circumstances. Certainly, she could've used the former ability to aid her in that fight last night.

Ezil played a yellow chip to send her reinforcements, her final wave, into the Stronghold. She was making a gambit by trying to get to the king quickly, through sheer force of numbers. Shale would've done the same. But without even thinking, Bandor quickly played a blue chip.

The casual expression on Ezil's face slowly unfolded into one of horror as she took in the implications of the move. Bandor folded his arms and leaned back, wearing a very smug smirk.

"I don't believe it... My entire army."

At the admission, her brother leaned forward and blew out Ezil's last three candles, snuffing out her princess, queen, and king.

"What happened?" Shale asked, startled. "How did he take you out just like that?"

"He forced my entire army together for one final attack, in the fog, then he incinerated them. It was that card. It's always that damn card. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it, but it's far too overpowered. Worst thing is, Bandor always seems to draw it."

Shale leaned forward to view the card in question. A twin set of slitted blue eyes peered out from a mountain of swirling shadow. Large luminous blue lightning shaped scars were scattered all over the giant's body. Shale knew who the card was without having to read the title. It perfectly matched the description she knew.

"You two know of Murgal?" she asked.

"Why of course," Ezil said, "It's a very popular story in Orian. It does feature Prince Rabarshan, after all. He was given the Andul Hammer by the Magizyra to fight their creation. Then he buried it right into its heart." At this, Ezil reenacted the swinging of the hammer. "I think every greatland has a variation of that tale."

"I wasn't aware. I just know of it because of my storybook. There's nothing in the monastery library about it."

"No, I can't imagine they tell many tales about the Titans in Hekkari monasteries. But let me tell you this, when someone introduces Murgal into the battle, it's time to give up. There are some monsters there's just no winning against."

"I'll keep that in mind." Shale wrapped her arms around her knees as she watched them clear the battlefield. "You said that I once used my abilities when I was very young. But if I haven't used them in so many years, is it still possible for me to learn them again?"

"There are ways to train yourself. It takes time, but through the arts of meditation and visualisation, you can strengthen a link, even one as neglected as yours. But you have to tend it every day, until you start to feel the power, as a physical feeling within. Then, you're able to use it in small ways at first. Using it regularly will strengthen the link and take your abilities to the next level."

"So I won't feel anything physical at first?"

"No. Think of it as a plant."

"A plant?"

"In the early stage, you just have a seed in the soil. Even though you're watering it and giving it sunlight, you'll see nothing for a while. But with patience, commitment, and a little faith, something starts to bud. That's the most frustrating time, when many new learners simply give up. After that, when you can use it practically, it starts growing a lot faster."

"I understand. When can we begin?"

"Tonight and every night after that."

"I'd like that."

"Now, if you're quite satisfied with your line of questioning, Miss Etaria, why don't you draw five cards at random and see if you can take on the champion?" She motioned to Bandor. "I've tried for the better part of a decade to teach my brother some humility, but perhaps you'll have better luck than me."

"But I don't know how to play."

"Don't you remember what I told you at the inn?" Ezil grinned. "The crossing from Yern to Elorona is a month's journey. If there's one thing we have in abundance, it's time."

In the proceeding days, they played countless games of Mystic Chips. After they ran out of candles, they used markings on paper to keep track of their lives. It took a week for Shale to become a decent player. It took two weeks for her to get to a level where she could occasionally beat Ezil, but no matter how much she practised, Bandor remained the undefeated champion.

A large chunk of their mornings, just after waking up, and their nights, just before hopping into bed, was spent going through various forms of meditation and visualisation techniques to strengthen Shale's spiritual link. But she felt nothing, except slightly foolish. Ezil was always quick to assure her that she was doing the right things and that this was a natural part of a process which took time.

Her uncle wanted them to be proficient with weapons, in case they ever needed to defend themselves, so they had daily sparring sessions on the deck, with blunt blades. It took Shale a while to transfer her skill with the light bonewood branch to a real sword. At first, the weapon was too heavy and cumbersome. But she became stronger and quicker. Eventually, all those hours of practising in the forest came through and she was able to best both Ezil and Bandor comfortably. The Orian siblings were shocked at her skill and decided to team up on her sometimes, to even the odds.

Some crewmen, highly amused at watching a sixteen-year-old girl face two opponents at once, fancied their chances against her. When they challenged her, the others took wagers on the outcome. Anyone who bet against her was relieved of their coin and anyone who bet on her were given heavier pockets.

Another part of her uncle's training requirements was to keep their minds as sharp as their sword arms, so Karlar would read to them each evenfall. He would then ask them questions pertaining to rhetoric and logic to see if they were paying attention. No one excelled at this task. Bandor, Ezil, and Shale were all disappointing in equal measure.

At night, after meditation, they would lay in their beds, with the only sounds being the lapping of the waves and the voice of the designated storyteller. Karlar wasn't fond of fiction and Bandor wasn't fond of speaking, so it was just Shale and Ezil taking turns. Shale was always excited for Ezil's turn, because the Orian stories she told were so unique. Orian stories were much creepier and more bizarre than the Yernish ones. When it was Shale's turn, she never lacked a story to draw upon. She even read a few from her book, including the Wrath of Murgal. The only one she kept to herself was the Song of the Phoenix, because it just felt too personal, like it belonged to her.

Thoughts of Shaedri were distant during the day, but by night, Shale did have her share of disturbing dreams.

There was one particular reoccurring dream. In it, she ran across a sea of rippling shadow. Things lurked beneath the surface, whispering to her, and any time she stopped or failed to move fast enough, she would begin sinking toward them. It was only as she kept running, that she was able to resist their pull. So that's what she did. She ran. The whispers were mostly nonsensical, but on rare occasions, she thought she could understand them.

Come with us. Come with us. Come with us.

As bad as the nightmares were, the relief of waking on the ship, instead of her monastery dormitory, made them a small price to pay.

All in all, her days aboard The Wind Chaser were among the happiest of her life, right up there with the very best spent with Alashar. It wasn't simply down to being away from Silverwood and her boring routine. It was the fact that for the first time in a long time, she had something she'd so dearly missed. For the first time in five years, Shale Etaria had friends.