Duel

While the Adventurers Guild was running around looking for him, the man in question had just made it down to the harbor and stood in front of the closest dock. Silas sent out his mana sense and discovered a massive ship in front of him, tied up to the dock. There were a multitude of people going on and off of the boat, many of them were loading large crates onto the the main deck. A shout could be heard from the dock. "This should have been finished an hour ago boys. Hurry it up or we are going to get an earful."

The shout came from a man that seemed to be in charge of all the people moving the things onto the boat. Silas decided that, that was the man he should try to convince in order for him to get a ride to Aegis Island. Silas walked closer to the man giving out directions while avoiding the workers and stopped just before him.

He wasn't sure what to say and just stood there foolishly. The man had a weathered look about him, like he had experienced many things in life, and was short but quite well built. The weathered man finally noticed the young blind man standing before him and asked, "Do you want something boy, I'm kinda in a hurry."

Silas didn't immediately respond to the question but then said, "Excuse me sir, I was wondering if I could take this ship to the Aegis Island." The man stared at him closely. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but the registration for being a passenger ended days ago. Besides, the quarter deck is completely full and none of the crew can even fit in it, it's just for the paying passengers."

Silas' expression sank for a moment before he said earnestly, "I can do whatever, anything you need." His expression turned serious. "I need to leave this island sir, please let me on the ship."

The man smiled wearily at Silas. "Don't we all, don't we all." He then looked Silas up and down. "I don't suppose you can wield a sword much less fire a cannon or flintlock properly."

Silas started to speak but was cut off by the man. "Can you get around on your own? Maybe you could use a mop with one of the other deck hands."

Silas thought for a second, "I can get around just fine sir, I can wield a sword as well but I'm not sure what a cannon or a flintlock is." The weathered man let out a laugh. "Really now, you can wield a sword. Well I suppose I could let you in on cleaning duty, we could always use an extra hand but you need to work hard for food." The man said with a smile. "As long as your fine with sleeping in cramped quarters with the rest of the crew below deck."

Silas smiled widely. "Anything is fine sir, as long as I can get on the ship." The man patted Silas on the shoulder and then grabbed his hand and shook it. "Well the name is Mattias, pleasure to have you aboard."

Silas shook back and smiled again, "I'm Silas." The man let go and took a step back. "Follow me on the ship, let's see if you were telling the truth about your swordsmanship." Mattias turned and started walking on the board that connected the boat to the dock.

He glanced behind him and was pleasantly surprised when he saw Silas easily follow him across. 'Suppose he can get around like that.' Mattias laughed at that and said back to Silas, "Almost like you can see mate." Silas just smiled lightly in response.

Mattias yelled out to the people on the main deck and made a large circle surrounding the main mast. He then looked back at Silas and smiled. "Someone get this man a sword." A large cheer came from the crowd and a sword was quickly brought out. Silas held this new sword and waved it around a few time before letting out a small smile.

Hearing the commotion of the crew, a few people came out of the quarterdeck with fancy clothes on. They looked on in mild interest on what was going on. "Father, what's going on?" A young boy asked a slender looking man with a neatly trimmed beard, his hair was tied up in a pony tail. The man patted his son on his shoulder, "Not too sure Band, just keep watching."

The Captain also left the navigation room on the opposite side of the ship and stared down at the ruckus from the the helm and chuckled to himself. 'Mattias, Mattias. I guess he is doing this tactic again. Doesn't really prove anything if they are blind though haha.' The captain then yelled from above them, "Can that boy even wield a sword Matty?" He then let out a laugh, "Go easy on him now, hahaha!"

"Aye, captain!" Mattias called up from the center of the circle, letting out a cheery grin. Mattias turned back to look at Silas to see him smiling at the sword in his grasp. "So you're ready then."

Silas stopped smiling and raised his sword sending out his mana sense, covering the entirety of Mattias. Mattias felt a strong pressure wash over him and he took a step back, the grin slipping off of his face. He readied his sword as well and stood opposite to Silas in the circle. The crowd of sailors started cheering again the vip passengers stood looking down in mild amusement, their emotions getting swept up by the crowd.

There were several members of the crew who were confused on who Silas was, "Is he a new crew member?"

"How is Mattias going to fight a blind person? Isn't he just stroking his eager?"

"Don't say that man, you wanna be up there next."

The man quickly shut his mouth and returned to cheering with the rest of the crew. The captain smiled at the cheering and then counted down, "3... 2... 1... GO!"

With that Mattias swung his sword forward and a wind ripped towards Silas and caused a lot of small cuts to appear on his clothes but there were no cuts on his body. Silas was shocked at the sudden windstorm. He took a step back and then immediately lunged forward and slashed from the left.

One of the people in the crowd shouted out, "That's Mattias's famous move, Rushing Wind." Another guy yelled back at him. "But that new guy barely flinched and is already attacking. How can he do this blind?"

Silas' sword slash was blocked by Mattias but Silas fluidly slid Mattias' blade to the ground and pulled his blade back before stabbing it at his chest. Mattias pulled his body back and swung his sword back up and hit his sword away.

Silas stepped back and created a distance between them. Taking this chance Mattias swung his sword with an increased vigor. A wild wind swept across the ship and all the crews' clothes started whipping against there bodies. A tangible blade of wind was sent forward and Silas raised his sword in defense. Silas could see the massive and dense blade of mana coming at him and could feel the strong wind threatening to blow him away.

The blade of wind basically ignored the blade that Silas had raised and made a rather large but shallow gash on his chest. Silas fell backwards and the sword clattered out of his hand. Silas felt the pain on his chest and rage started to fill up inside of him, fire started to slowly flicker across his skin.

Mattias who had basically dropped his defense at this point raised his sword again and prepared for the worst, realizing that he had pushed it too far. Silas' flames started to grow before stuttering out for a moment and slowly died down.

Silas felt completely out of energy and couldn't even stand. He realized at this moment about the lack of food he had eaten in these last few days and felt pangs coming from his stomach and the stinging from his chest.

Mattias slowly walked up to him and raised his hand out but Silas didn't reach out to take it. "Oh forgot about that. Silas give me your hand."

Silas had stopped using mana sense at this moment and was completely without sight. Upon hearing his voice, Silas put his hand completely outwards until he felt someone grip him and pull him up. He then felt a pat on the shoulder and Mattias' voice ringing out. "Good fight lad, you had me on my toes." Mattias then laughed a little, "Heh, guess you were not lying about being able to use a sword. Sorry about the wound."

Mattias then raised his head and looked at the crowd of sailors around them now not making much noise after their previous cheers. "Seems like it's my victory." With that all the crewmembers cheered. "Now what are you doing standing around, we have a tight schedule to make." "Aye!"

Mattias watched as they quickly started to depart, "And someone grab the doctor, tell him to bring the girl." A rather tall and lanky fellow with a grey beard and no hair on top walked out from the crowd. "Right here Mat, do ya think I could continue my work with all this ruckus?"

The tall man walked up to Silas, "Names Doctor Redi, no need to know yours, follow me now, need to get you patched up." With that Redi started walking away and Mattias gave Silas a little slap on the back indicating for him to follow. Silas still had no energy to use mana sense and had to rely on just hearing to follow the doctor. He bumped into a few people but he made his way to the medical bay with not much trouble. Because he didn't have his mana sense, he wasn't able to make out what much of the inside of the ship looked like.

"Alright sit here boy." Silas was pushed into a chair and his arms were strapped down on the sides. "This is only gonna hurt a little now."