Bikou's Story - City of the Tree

Bikou's Story - City of the Tree

i suppose it was fate that led me to that place, though at the time i believed fate to be just another legend whispered on late night watches.

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As far as my memory can recall i had worked aboard the fishing vessel Snoep, starting as a deck hand and net hauler, and slowly working my way through the ranks. at the age of fifteen captain Seoel, -may the Immortals lay his soul to rest in peace- and i were all that remained of the original crew and he saw fit to promote me to first mate. i was perhaps the youngest first mate in the City at the time.

our ship left port for several days at a time, generally casting nets off several leagues away from the City of the Tree. to my knowledge we were the only crew to brave the darker waters. wives tales told of an isle in the black water surrounded by storms that would descent upon any ship foolish enough to venture too near. but the fish were many there, and larger than those living in the shallows. larger fish of course, meant more gold for us and those in our crew were willing to chance imaginary storms if it meant a heavier money pouch at the end of the day.

the first few days i spend landside after being promoted to first mate were spent learning self defense. it had not been my choice, but once off the ship Seoel was no longer in charge and there were those in the crew who were displeased with my new position. i knew the ship better than any other, yet because of my age and stature i was forced to defend myself from their assaults. i was strong enough to be sure, but i'd always avoided brawls and the lack of practice made me slow and unsure of my movements. eventually things fell into a rhythm, but when we finally left port again, i was bruised and bloody.

the crew soon found what a cruel commander i could be and i worked them harder than Seoel had ever done. until the captain pulled me aside and into his cabin.

'Bikou this is not like you. i did not make you first mate so you could drive the crew to exhaustion.' He said, 'taking revenge upon the crew now will only make them hit harder when we make port. or worse, mutiny.'

'but sir...' i had protested. 'they were the ones who threw the first punches.'

Seoel nodded sagely. 'i'm sure they were, but that does not change things. the further you push them the harder they will fight back. treat them fairly and with kindness and they will see that you are a man of integrity and someone who, despite your age, they can respect.'

i left the cabin confused, but chose to follow his advice; Seoel was a wise old man and his advice had never led me wrong.

when we next made port only one of the crew sought me out and thankfully, i was more than capable of defending myself.

the next two years flew by in such a blur i wouldn't care to recall them even if i could. i'd saved most of the money i'd earned from working aboard Snoep and finally had enough to buy my own boat when fate began to turn it's twisted wheel.

Seoel fell ill in the autumn with a rattling cough and a chill that seeped into his old bones. we moored Snoep and to my knowledge most of our crew found work aboard other vessels. Seoel had no living family and though i could have taken up work elsewhere, i chose to care for him. he was the closest to family i had and though i did not know it at the time, he considered me a son as much as i had considered him a father.

on the night of the first winter storm Seoel passed away, leaving everything he owned to me. i grieved for a time, but as he'd told me once 'The dead are dead and no amount of mourning changes that. they die so we may be reminded why we live.' it was perhaps a cold thing to do, but i sold his house and many of his belongings, and moved to a smaller more practical house nearer the docks.

at the age of seventeen the Snoep now belonged to me as did the title 'captain'. but being captain meant nothing without a crew, and Snoep was not a ship to be crewed by one or two. thus i began searching the City of the Tree for sailors.

there was never a shortage of sailors within the City and i had a crew ready in half a day. it was then that i made my first address as captain. i do not recall exactly what i had said, though i am sure it was awkward and poorly planned. everyone was told to go home and rest up because at sunrise the next day we would be sailing to the dark waters to earn our fortunes.

only a third of the crew showed up at sunrise, and it wasn't until a little past noon that one of the men approached me.

'sir?' he'd said

i nodded and asked 'what's your name?'

'the name's Azriel.' he paused and i nodded for him to continue. 'well... i don't think any more of the crew will be coming. there are very few keen on sailing into the dark waters.'

i was glad i'd decided to find double the crew i would need. 'then if no one else is coming, weigh anchor there's fish to be caught!'

it was a rocky first sailing, many of the crew were not used to each other and though no one said anything their slow actions and hesitant glances told me they did not trust a captain as young as i. it did not matter, our first catch was enough to keep them working for me.

at the end of our second sailing i appointed Azriel first mate and in the years that followed, as our crew shifted and changed, he and i remained good friends. no one else ventured into the dark water and the storms that arose there were no worse than anywhere else.

it was not until Mikou suggested it, that we decided to cast our nets further inside the dark waters forgetting why we’d been afraid.

we'd sailed further than usual into the darkness; so far that we could no longer see the teal crystal of our ocean, and so far that the Tree had disappeared from the horizon. Teegan had spotted it first, a large cloud that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. the wind tore the warning cry from his mouth and we all ran to our stations, securing cargo and hauling up our precious nets. somehow without speaking, every one of us knew we'd ventured too far into the Immortal's territory and they were lashing out against us, reminding us of our place.

we fought the storm as best we could, and though our sails were horribly torn and several of the lines broken, most of us managed to escape with our lives. without Azriel i am sure we all would have been lost to a watery grave, though he told me later that the entire crew was impressed with my own actions.

it was while we were limping our way back into port that something caught my eye. i ran to the rail and leaned over the deck momentarily taken aback before i yelled 'MAN OVERBOARD!' at the top of my lungs.

we threw a rope but they did not acknowledge it. 'sir... i think they may be...' Azriel started to say. i did not wait for him to finish, the waters were calm and i leapt from the side of the boat and unknowingly swam towards my destiny.