Ocean waves crash against the Azure Zephyr’s sturdy bow, drenching the feathered dragon figurehead. A salty sea breeze mixes in with the fresh scent of refurbished wood. On the second level deck, Ryo remains by the ship’s wheel, gazing out at the horizon. A nostalgia feeling washes over his senses, with the scenery overlapping a blurred image of a calm ocean memory. With the salty air lingering around his nose, and each rock of the ship elevates his level of comfort.

Five-year old Axel stands in the middle of the field, with a wooden sword in his hands. In front of him a small rabbit feeds on the strain of grass and flowers. He points the sword at the rabbit in a awkward but proud stance.  Anyone witnessing the scene would compare it to a child about the duel with their imaginary friend in competition.

“Be prepared you fiend!” He charges at the small animal. In a comedic twist, not even a few feet from his starting point, Axel trips, landing onto his face. He glances up, dirt covering his face. A small nose sniffs him from his forehead down to his mouth. The rabbit gazes at him then takes off across the field.

Axel sighs, laying his head back down. A shadow looms over the ground. The figure steps up behind Axel. “Axel? Is there something interesting on the ground?”

Axel’s head snaps up, and he rolls over onto his face. Keith Reyes, his father, stares down at him. His left hand holds to a string, connected to a bag hung over his left shoulder. Both his pants and shirt carry heavy dirt and salt water from his travels. With a big smile, Axel jumps up.

“Welcome back dad!” Axel’s smile grows larger. “Where did you go this time?”

“Haha” Keith kneels down. From his bag, he pulls out an orb. It sparkles under the bright sun, creating the illusion that sea bubbles move in twists and circles. With each turn, the silverish bubbles illuminate a different color, yellow, green, red, blue and back to yellow. “Handle it with care. It was a rare fine where I went.”

He places it in Axel’s outstretched hands. The orb’s smooth surface cools the top of his hands. Axel holds it up in the air, rotating it under the sun’s rays. A moment of wonder disappears then he looks back at his father. “This it? What about the swords and magical artifacts!?” Completely changing his mind, his bright eyes begged his father for more.

Keith ruffles his hair and chuckles. “I think that you have been reading too many stories. Magical artifacts?”

Axel picks up his wooden sword, pointing it at his father. “I have been practicing hard! I’m almost ready for a real sword now!”

“A bit overambitious.” Keith laughs.

“Let me see your sword dad! I’ve seen it before! Even if you don’t use it.” Axel jumps up and down.

“Easy now, I just got home.”

He holds out his hand, and Axel grabs onto it.

“Well, first did you say hello to your mom today.” Keith begins his conversation as they both make their way into the house.

The following day, Axel sits in the grass, turning the orb in his hands. From the porch, Keith holds a cup of coffee, taking a sip. He watches his son continuously turn the sphere in the air. The gleam from the orb strengths from the day before, the colors mix between one another. A gust of wind rushes across the field, and a stranger appears in the middle of a dust cloud. Axel doesn’t take notice, but Keith’s defenses go into high alert. The stranger’s presence sends the hairs on the top of Keith’s arm up. He casts a sideways glance in Axel’s direction, then leaves his coffee on the table just outside the door.

Unknown fascination draws Axel’s attention to the bubbles shifting in the sphere. When he looks back up, his father is gone from the porch. From his position, he shifts his gaze around, and catches his father talking to someone near the cliff away from the house. Curiosity fills his young man, at the visitor. He can’t make anything out besides the dark cloak, since the person’s face remains hidden. Axel stands up, walking towards them.

Ahead, Keith glances at Axel from over his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. It’s the look that he hasn’t seen before. The sheer overpowering command of not to move freezes him. Keith unsheathes his bronze sword from his side. He points it at the stranger. A cold wind circles around the cliff, dropping the temperature a bit. The stranger backs away with his hands raised in surrender. From the ocean, a conflicting warm wind pushes back, kicking up dirt and stones. Axel squints his eyes, just barely through the wind he makes out a eerie smile from the strangers’ faces, one of triumph and amusement. He leaves them alone when both winds die down.

That night at a quiet dinner, Keith places his fork down. He glances at Axel, who continues to eat.

“Looks like I need to head out again.” Keith says, his face can’t hide the seriousness. “I may be gone a bit longer than last time. Maybe a month or so.”

Axel stops and looks up. “Is it because of the stranger?” Never been one to beat around the bush, Axel wants to get a straight answer.

“Not completely. Something has come to my attention that needs to be addressed. A loose end from my last expedition.” Keith explains to him.

Axel nods. “Okay, and Mr. Finn will look after me, right?”

“Right. I will be leaving in the morning.” Keith rises from the table. He rubs Axel on the head. “That’s my good boy.”

It was supposed to be like any other trip. He said that he would be back. At the time I was so excited to see him come back go. He would bring back so many different things for me. This was another opportunity to hear his stories and get more treasures.

The following morning, Axel watches his father stride down the dirt pathway, leading to the bottom of the cliffside. Right beside him a bronze sword lays in the grass.

So, he left the next morning.

A month has passed since Keith’s departure, Axel excited that his father would be back anytime, rushes out of then home. He runs to the cliff. From above, he looks out across the ocean, looking for any sign of his father. A great one mast ship that his father calls his own. The quiet ocean remains undisturbed. Each day Axel continued the same routine expecting his father’s ship to appear on the horizon.

I waited…

The seasons change from a musky summer to a cool winter. Even though there isn’t snow on the ground, the lower temperatures reflect the upcoming changes. Dressed in a coat, Axel stands on the cliff. The choppy sea rocks into huge waves, crashing against the cliffside below. However, no ship ever appears, dashing Axel’s hopes.

I still waited….

A year passes, Axel sits in front of a birthday cake. The letter six in the center with a few candles surrounding it. Finn sits opposite him with a gift by his side. The once bright child that would run and swing his wooden sword no longer smiles. A child whose expectations continue to be dashed with each passing day. Axel shuts his eyes and blows out the candles. However, instead of saying to eat the cake, he excuses himself from the table.

And I waited…

One year, slowly transitions into five years then followed by a sixth year. Axel holds his father’s bronze sword in his hands. He practices his swings repeatedly. Every few sets, he glances out at the sea. Its quietness continues to mock him like it did the first day he had expectations. A bubbling anger swells up in his chest. His swings become furious and erratic trying to find some way to use up this unquelled feeling.

And he never came back. When I realized that…I gave up. My anger never faded. If anything, it built up more. Who was it directed at? My father? That stranger? Or was it directed at me…because no matter what I couldn’t do anything to bring him home. Even now I don’t know the source of this anger, but it keeps burning like a flame that won’t die down.

Back in the present, a wooden sword lands at Axel’s feet. His wandering mind breaks out of its cloudiness and Axel’s eyes meet Ryo’s gaze. In his right hand, another wooden sword rests at Ryo’s side. Confusion snaps him back to reality as he quickly glances between Ryo, the ship’s wheel and back again.

“Are you crazy? Who is controlling this ship?” Axel snaps at him.

Unfazed, Ryo raises his sword. “The course is already set. Pick up the sword and focus on what’s in front of you.”

Axel puts his metal sword on a nearby barrel and picks up the wooden one. He begins in a unorthodox position with his sword raised to his eye level and his right foot in front of his left. Ryo’s eyes scan him from head to toe and he readjusts himself with a step backwards. Almost as to toy with him, Ryo brings his sword down in a mocking slow pace.

“Are you insulting me?” Axel grits his teeth. He lunges at Ryo with a forward thrust and uppercut, however Ryo’s previous strike changes mid-swing. The sword shoots upward and slams into the bottom of Axel’s. The sheer force knocks Axel backwards a few feet, slamming his back onto the ship’s deck.

“At your level…it hardly qualifies as a challenge.” Ryo changes his position with the sword downwards and his stance wider. Axel unleashes a set of barrage attacks at Ryo; however, he deflects every assault. Each failed attempt weakened Axel’s grip on his sword, until finally the sword is knocked from Axel’s hands.

“That battle before…it was sheer luck. Your current strength proves it.” Ryo prepares his attack stance again. “With no foundation, even natural talent will only get you so far.”

“What do you know!?” Axel retrieves his sword.

“You think I’m wrong? Then prove it. Defeat me.” Ryo brings his sword upwards for another attack. “Now begin!”

Overhead the sun disappears behind a gray overcast. Swells in the sea grow larger and in the distance a storm looms towards the horizon.