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The setting sun shines through the mainsails of the Peralta, casting a long shadow along the deck of the ship. The sky is a perfect blue color with few clouds, none of which were covering the hot sun. Sounds of overlapping voices and waves hitting the hull lingers in the air.
At the front of the ship, a tall, brute, and muscular goliath woman stands tall. She towers over the rest of the crew like a pillar, and her purple braids are flowing in the wind. Next to her, a drenched, starved, and sunburned half elf stands, barely able to keep himself upright.
His hair, as black as coal, is long, scraggly, and covers most of his face. His robes are tattered and ripped, and his skin is almost as red as Azzlore’s from the sunburn. He keeps looking around, frantic, like something or someone is going to snatch him up.
Earlier that day, Sandhya had spotted him from her crow’s nest, floating in the sea, clinging to a piece of driftwood. He was barely conscious when they all fished him out of the water, and he barely spoke either.
Captain Mara turns from facing the crew to the half-elf standing next to her, and extends her hand to him. Her voice booms across the ship,
“Welcome to the Peralta. You’re safe here,” she assures.
The half-elf looks around frantically, reluctant to shake her hand, but does so anyway.
After shaking his hand, Captain Mara gestures towards the ship below them, “Feel free to make yourself at home. I’ll have Sharog show you around.”
Before she can finish her sentence, from the crowd a tall, mean-looking orc woman emerges.
The orc walks past the half-elf and pulls in Captain Mara close, muttering words barely audible from the crowd.
Azzlore tries to get a good look at the shipwrecked half-elf, but instead hears a familiar voice over his shoulder, “What do you think they’re gonna do with him?” blurts Kaelthor.
“I don’t know,” responds Azzlore, “but whatever it is, I don't wanna know.”
Azzlore covers the sun with one hand, wipes the sweat bead forming on his forehead with the other, and looks out upon the endless horizon.
The Celestial Deep is choppy, the wind is strong, and the skyline of Rose Quartz Island lies across the harbor.
Azzlore was excited to see the shore approaching so rapidly. It had been a long day of nonstop sparring, training, and now rescue missions, and on top of it all, Azzlore was expected to help out around the ship. man the sails, watch the cannons, swab the deck, and more.
He didn't know what exactly he expected when he accepted Captain Mara’s offer back in Sapphire City. Honestly, he didn’t know what to expect about pretty much anything anymore. One day, he was eating scraps out of trash to survive, and the next he was cleaning barnacles off the side of the Peralta. He learned to take life as it came to him.
At the end of the day, none of it really matters.
Tonight is the full moon, and he knows exactly who he is going to see.
All he has to do is wait.
The Phantom Raiders docks on Rose Quartz Island every month for several reasons, whether to restock on supplies, collect debts, or simply have some good old-fashioned fun in town after a long journey.
To the Phantom Raiders, being on the island is just for business. But to Azzlore, it means so much more.
Finally, the sun sinks over the horizon when the Peralta is safely docked in the harbor. Azzlore is resting in his room when all of a sudden, he hears a knock through the door.
“Who is it?” Azzlore inquires, unsure of who it could be.
Before he hears a response his door is open,
“It’s me.”
Standing in the doorway, Kaelthor is drenched in sweat, and they are in the process of catching their breath. It was obvious he was running back and forth across the ship.
Azzlore doesn’t even look up, unfazed by their state.
His voice sounds like gravel, “Whaddya want?”
Before Kalethor speaks he takes a deep breath, ”Captain Mara wants everyone to join her in the local tavern to celebrate the rescue of the newest crew member.”
Azzlore sits up in bed, stunned by the news.
“You’re shitting me. I thought you were the last stray,” he laughs.
Kaelthor chuckles, “Yeah well, I guess not. Now get your ass to the tavern, pronto.”
Kaelthor turns to exit, but before he can Azzlore stops him,
“Actually Kal… about that. I’m gonna have to skip out on that tonight. I have a date with destiny,” he asserts.
Kaelthor stops in his tracks, and looks to meet Azzlore’s eye, “Dude, if you keep sneaking out at night you’re going to get caught. I didn't want to tell you, but Sharog asked me about it last month. I lied and covered for you because I don’t wanna see you walk the plank, but I have to tell you, this has got to stop.”
Azzlore barely acknowledges the words coming out of Kaelthor’s mouth. Vaguely, he waves Kalethor away with his hand,
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you. I’m still going though,” he states.
Azzlore stands up and walks past Kaelthor, but as he goes to put his hand on the doorknob, Kaelthor puts himself between him and the door.
“I don’t think you do hear me, Az. As your best friend, I need you to know that you’re being risky,” Kaelthor urged.
His words are firm, and the look in his eyes only reinforce the concerning tone in his voice.
Azzlore puts a hand on Kaelthor’s shoulder,
“Listen, Kal. I appreciate the concern, but I’ll be okay.” he assures,
“Plus, if Sharog wants to know where I’m going at night she should ask me herself. I won’t be gone long,”
Azzlore brushes past Kaelthor and walks through the door, making his way up the bow.
Approaching the gangway he hears Kaelthor’s voice once more,
“You say that, and then I won’t see you until the morning!” Kaelthor shouts.
Azzlore chuckles, because he knows that Kaelthor is absolutely right.
And he doesn’t really care. She was the only thing that occupied his mind.
Azzlore disembarks the Peralta and walks down the wooden dock, his foot’s steps creaking with each step. The moon shines bright in the sky, illuminating the earth below.
The once-bustling port is now desolate, with only a few people scattered around. All of the stands and kiosks lining the walkway of the port are vacant, and the ships docked in the harbor look like they’ve been laid to rest. Azzlore didn’t pay much attention, he aimed his gaze downward.
Azzlore knows the way to their meeting spot like the back of his hand, remembering the directions she gave him many moons ago,
“All you have to do is walk along the beach until the treeline opens up,”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
After their first meeting, Azzlore couldn't stop thinking about her. He searched the port for days, and when he finally found her he made it his mission to talk to her again. They spent that day together, and when night fell, she whisked him away to a secret beach.
According to her, not many people knew that this beach even existed.
It’s their secret, a place where they can be together without the weights of the world.
So every month, Azzlore walks along the beach until the treeline opens up, so that he can reunite with his love underneath the full moon.
Soon enough Azzlore exits the port, and while walking the beach he can't help but think about Kal’s warning.
“This has got to stop.”
Kaelthor’s words anger him, what does Kaelthor know anyway?
Kaelthor just doesn't know how she makes me feel, and so he tries to dismiss the thought.
Azzlore cocks his head to look around him. The beach is empty, illuminated by the moon above, and appears to go on for miles. Behind him, the port of Rose Quartz Island is a small, orange spot in the background. To his right is a tall, dense, and lush forest, and the sound of the waves crashing against the rocky shoreline is all he can hear.
Azzlore keeps trudging through the sand for a bit until he notices a familiar break in the trees. He peels back the branches with his hand and peers into the gap.
Behind the trees reveal the secret beach, which is encased by both forest and thick rock. In the sand a small fire is burning, providing the only light besides the moon. In the ocean, Jane is standing in the surf, kicking the water gently with her feet.
As soon as Azzlore can spot her, a smile comes across his face. It had been a long month, and he had so many things to tell her.
Azzlore hastily climbs through the trees and makes his way down the beach, trying his hardest to not to disturb her in her beauty.
It doesn’t take him very long before he trips over the sand, and proceeds to fall on his ass.
He hears her voice over the roar of the ocean,
“Azzlore! Are you okay?” she cries, immediately rushing over to aid her love.
She helps him up from the ground, her hand pulling him upward.
“I’m okay, just a little bruised ego” he groaned.
After checking to make sure he’s actually okay, she chuckles, “What were you even doing?”
Her laugh sounds like a symphony, and he almost misses the question.
“Well uh,” he rubs the back of his neck with his hand, “I dunno, being a dumbass I guess.”
Jane laughs once again, “I think you’re silly, not a dumbass.”
She looks to Azzlore and offers him her hand,
Azzlore looks into her eyes and can’t resist the offer,
“Yeah well, that makes one of us.”
Hand in hand, the two lovers make a beeline for the shore. The moon, now directly above them in the sky, shines as bright as it ever did. The fire, now slowly burning out, leaves thin smoke trails floating in the air.
Azzlore feels the salty air on his skin, for a moment, he raises his head to smell the breeze. He loves the smell of salt in the air because it reminds him of the things that bring him the most joy in the world: the ocean and Jane.
“I have a surprise for you,” Jane states, “but first you have to cover your eyes.”
Azzlore chuckles, “Damn, making me cover the only eye I have left.”
Jane lightly hits Azzlore on the shoulder, “You know it’s not like that. Anyways, close your eyes!”
Like she asks, Azzlore closes his eyes, and as soon as he does he feels Jane tug him in the opposite direction.
“Where are you taking me?” Azzlore inquires, eyes still closed.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” she answered, her tone indicating that she has something up her sleeve.
After some time being dragged around, Azzlore feels the momentum come to a stop.
“Okay,” Jane blurts, “You can open your eyes now!”
Azzlore opens his eyes and there before him is a grotto, hidden in between the rocks lining the shoreline. The entryway to the grotto is covered in long, overgrown vines of ivy. It was obvious that the grotto had not seen people in a while.
Azzlore is speechless, and it isn’t until a few seconds of silence goes by that Jane breaks the silence.
“Do you like it?” Jane questions, her eyes begging Azzlore for approval.
His gaze meets her eyes, and for a moment he melts in the beauty of it.
“Baby, I love it,” he assures her, gently caressing his hand across her face.
Her skin is warm to the touch and as soft as clouds. His fingers intangible themselves in her deep red hair, and her fragrance overpowers the smell of the salt in the air.
He feels Jane melt into his hand, allowing Azzlore to hold the weight of her head in his grasp.
“Where’d you even find this?” Azzlore questions, in all the time they’ve spent on this beach, he’s never seen this grotto before.
Jane sits up straight,
“Well, I got here a little earlier than normal and I wanted to explore. I was walking along the shore and I noticed this huge rock formation, when I looked further I found this,” she gestures to the grotto in front of them,
“But wait, this isn't even the best part!”
Before Azzlore can react she grabs him by the wrist. In one hand she separates the vines, and in the other she pulls him in.
Moss and vines adorn the walls of the grotto, almost engulfing the walls entirely. In the corner, there is a lantern that emits a soft glow. Soft sounds of water trickling through small crevices replace the sound of the crashing waves against the rocks outside. Inside the tide pool, green seaweed and vibrant-colored anemones lay at the bottom of the pool. Snails and starfishes cling to the walls and small fishes and crabs occupy the space in the water.
Azzlore stops in his tracks for a moment trying to take it all in.
“Wow, you’ve really outdone yourself this time,” Azzlore he says in disbelief.
Delighted by his words, Jane meets Azzlore’s gaze,
“Really? You think so?”
The words linger in the air for a second before Azzlore responds,
“Yeah, yeah I do.”
They both take a seat on the edge of the pool, Jane dipping her toes into the water, and Azzlore taking off his boots.
“So, what have you been up to?” asks Jane, “Surely you have a story to tell.”
She looks at Azzlore with her big amber eyes and flashes him a smile.
Azzlore chuckles, “Well, today I had to help fish a man out of the water.”
“Oh really?” she exclaims, “And how’d that go?”
Azzlore sighs deeply,
“About as good as you’d expect. Poor guy looked like he’d been out there for days. Barely said a word and he had this look on his face, like, well, I don’t know.”
Jane slightly nods her head, letting Azzlore know she is listening.
“Anyways, apparently according to Kal he’s our newest crew member? They’re all in the tavern drinking their asses off to celebrate.”
“Why aren’t you with them?” she asks.
“Well,” he answers,
“I had more important places to be.”
She smiles subtly, shifting her gaze from Azzlore to the tide pool to her fidgeting hands. Before she responds she sighs deeply, “Well, you can tell your crew to say hi to my dad, he’s supposed to be working tonight.”
“Maybe I will. How are they anyway?” he asks, gently nudging her shoulder.
“He’s been working a lot recently,” she blurts, “With mom spending all her time in the garden they don’t have time to check on me.”
Her tone sounds disheartened, and she looks to the floor.
“Y’know, I don't even think they know I’m gone,” she states plainly. She’s still fidgeting with her hands, picking the hanging pieces of skin on her fingernails.
She scoffs, “I don’t know if they’d even care.”
Azzlore takes her hand in his, “I don’t know about all that. I think you’re pretty remarkable.”
Jane gets this smile on her face, and he can’t help but crack one as well. She has this effect on him. No matter how much he tries to seem rough around the edges, she takes one look at him and everything comes crashing down.
The both of them spend the hours that pass tangled in each other’s arms, each of them taking turns sharing stories back and forth, each one better than the last.
“And hopefully that is the last time Elnu asks me to man the cannons!” Azzlore bellows.
His laugh echoes off the walls of the grotto, drowning out the sound of the rushing water.
Jane is laying her head on Azzlore’s lap, looking up to his face. She stares hard into his crystal blue eye,
“I love your laugh. It reminds me of thunder.”
She doesn’t break her eye contact, and her face is firm, but encouraging.
Azzlore can’t help but laugh again,
“I think you’re crazy.”
A frown makes its way across her face,
“I mean it! You know, for once, I wish you’d take my compliments.”
Azzlore’s face tenses up,
“I take your compliments!” he asserts, “I take them all the time!”
“Yeah,” she scoffs, “Maybe in your dreams.”
She picks her head up from his lap and sits up straight, now turning her back towards him.
Azzlore can tell that she’s serious. Jane isn’t the type to upset easily.
“Hey, hey, hey, what’s with the long face?” he questions.
He tries to put his hand on her shoulder, but she moves it away from his grasp.
She turns her head, only enough that the side of her face is visible. He sees the faintest tear fall down her cheek.
“Because,” she starts to sniffle, “I feel like you don’t listen to me.”
For the first time in a long time, Azzlore keeps his mouth shut. He only listens.
“Sometimes it’s like I’m talking to a wall. I wish you could see how I see you. I think if you did, then you wouldn’t dismiss me like you do.”
Her words are shaky, and the lantern casts both of their shadows on the mossy walls.
Azzlore is speechless again, but this time instead of disbelief, it’s out of fear of saying the wrong thing.
Jane turns back towards the wall and wipes the tears from her eyes,
“I hang on to your every word. Do you know that?” she sighs.
“I, uh,” he stammers, “I didn’t. I’m sorry Jane. I didn’t know.”
With her back still facing Azzlore, she mutters faintly, “Of course you didn’t know. You didn't listen.”
I really fucked it up this time, he thinks to himself.
Do something you idiot.
“Jane, listen,” he begins, “Look at me, please?”
She slightly turns around, this time only enough to meet Azzlore’s gaze.
“I’m sorry. Really, I am. I’m not used to it,” he waves his hand in a circular motion, “ All of this.”
He takes a deep breath before he continues,
“My days are spent doing terrible things. Things that I think if I told you, you wouldn’t look at me the same. You’re the best thing I have, Jane.”
He notices that she slightly perks up when she hears her name,
“It’s not an excuse,” he sighs, “But hopefully it can help you understand.”
She finally faces Azzlore completely.
For a second, she doesn’t speak.
And for a second, he worries that his words aren’t enough.
“Do you mean that?” she inquires.
Azzlore offers his hands to her,
“With all my heart,” he reassures.
A smile graces her face once again, and she takes his hands.
The both of them lean their heads in closer, the force pulling them together like magnets, and they share a kiss.
Her lips are soft, and he feels her fingers running through his hair. Smells of lavender and salt fill Azzlore’s nose, and time seems to come to a stop.
Jane pulls away first, and when they finally break the world finally starts to spin again. Before he can think, the words fall out of Azzlore’s mouth,
“I love you Jane.”
Fuck.
He freezes, because in all the time they’ve spent together, he never said those words out loud.
The silence in the air is deafening. Azzlore can feel his heart pumping damn near out of his chest, and even the creatures swimming around in the tide pool held their breaths for a moment.
“I love you too,” she finally says, “I really do.”
The words are soft, like she had been waiting to say those words for a long time.
A wave of relief comes over Azzlore, and for a moment he can’t believe that this is real.
Jane reaches for Azzlore and pulls him close. She nestles her head in the crook of his neck, and she wraps her arms around his waist, embracing him tightly. He returns her affection by holding her just as tight, fearing that if he didn’t she might slip away forever. Her body fits with his perfectly, like two puzzle pieces. He closes his eyes, hoping to stay in this moment together.
When Azzlore opens his eyes he sees the moonlight peering through the cracks of the hanging vines, replacing the light source in the grotto.
As much as he hates it, he knows that this is his sign to go.
Even though he knows that he has to leave, he holds her for a moment longer.
“I have to go,” he whispers in her ear.
She lets out a deep breath. “Yeah, I know. I was hoping that you wouldn't notice,” she whispers back.
He almost can’t bring himself to do it, but he finally lets her go. Azzlore stands up to put his boots back on, and Jane joins him. She separates the vines once more and her and Azzlore exit the grotto.
Hand in hand, they walk down the beach towards the forest. The moon is setting over the horizon, and the sun is beginning to rise on the other. Loud waves crash against the sand, and the seagulls and sandpipers are roaming the shore.
They traverse through the thinned-out trees onto the main beach. In the distance the port of Rose Quartz Island remains a small speck.
Neither of them say much on the walk back. Still holding hands, they instead enjoy the simplicity of their company.
As the port grows closer and closer the sky above continues to get lighter and lighter. The sounds of the crashing waves and birds remain constant.
The thought finally crosses his mind,
I hope Kal doesn’t kill me when I get back.
Azzlore can handle any blowback he gets from the other crew members. If Captain Mara or Sharog wanted to give him hell for disobeying orders, he could take it.
Kaelthor was a different story. And so, unsure of what awaits him when he gets back on the Peralta, Azzlore continues to trudge forward.
Soon both Azzlore and Jane begin to arrive at the port. Shopkeepers are setting up their booths and kiosks for the day ahead, and small conversations make their way through the air. The Peralta was sitting in the harbor, still untouched since the night before. Before they begin to go their separate ways, Azzlore and Jane share one more embrace.
This one is quick, but desperate. They cling to each other like their lives depended on it. To Azzlore, there are never enough hours in the night that can make up for the hours he spends missing her. He knows that it’ll be an entire month before he can see her again. And so in that moment he let his love for her overwhelm them both. What did he have to lose?
This time Azzlore is the first to let go. He can’t let himself get wrapped in the emotions of saying goodbye. For all he knows, the crew could be right behind them, watching.
In his last act of affection, he kisses her hand.
“Goodbye Jane,” he says through a dim smile.
Before she responds, she flashes him that same smile she did when they first met.
“Goodbye Azzlore. Until we meet again?”
“You can count on it,” he quips.
They slowly depart from each other, each going in their separate directions. Azzlore walks up the gangway leading to the Peralta. Jane walks down the dock towards the city.
Azzlore boards the empty Peralta and looks out from the bow out to the port. He watches Jane make her way up the dock, passing the vendors and the now-arriving customers. He keeps his eyes locked on her until she disappears into the city.