An iron bolt pierced the night breeze, it was on a mission heading straight towards its target which was floating, suspended in the air more than 30 meters away visible only thanks to the myriad of lights the merchant's vessel is equipped with, just a second after the crossbow was fired the bolt collided with an empty bottle, shattering it instantly into who knows how many pieces, they all flew away in any which direction landing directly into the sea with a splashing sound.

“Did you see that kid? I never miss” The old man grins as he displays his old and worn-out weapon.

“Very impressive captain,”

“Really? Please tell that to yer face kid,” The old man eyes me out, not trying to hide his annoyance towards my recent change in humor “You don’t look very impressed at all, I’d say you look even more antipathic than usual, anything bothering you kid?”

“Land Problems” it’s often said among sailors that the struggles of the land shouldn’t be brought into the sea, that the two are already messy enough to go mixing them up. 

“I see, women, huh?”

“I guess you can say that” I’m trying my hardest not to think about what I did, how I closed a door that might not open when I return.

“Did anyone around here ever tell you about Alpo?”

“No? why? Did something happen to him?” Alpo is our boatswain, a man that has as many demons inside his head as he does grey hairs on the top of it. But given his skills are unquestionable, no one says anything to him spending his time trying to find solace at the end of a bottle.

“Ha! Well, given he isn’t in ear-shot at the moment,” The captain took a firm grip on the helm “And that the sea is strange tonight, let me tell you all about it… though don’t tell him I told you or he will navigate us all straight into an early audience with the deep one”