Rain returned that night.
Not heavy.
Just enough to make East Verdan’s lantern lights blur softly across the harbor streets.
Dhruv sat atop a stack of cargo crates near Rust Harbor while absentmindedly spinning Deep’s compass between his fingers.
Below him, Deep argued aggressively with an engine.
“I FIXED YOU THREE TIMES.”
The engine released black smoke directly into his face.
Deep coughed dramatically.
“RUDE.”
Dhruv laughed quietly.
The old transport ship beside them looked like it had survived multiple wars entirely out of spite.
Dark green paint peeled from its sides.
The deck creaked constantly.
One side carried a visible cannon dent.
And yet somehow… it still floated.
Mostly.
Deep jumped down from the engine room covered in grease.
“Good news.”
Dhruv raised an eyebrow.
“It works?”
Deep pointed proudly upward.
“The explosion is now SMALLER.”
“…Deep.”
“What?”
A loud voice suddenly echoed across the dock.
“YOU.”
Both boys turned.
A massive older man stomped toward them carrying fishing nets over one shoulder.
Gray beard.
Mechanical arm.
Permanent expression of disappointment.
Deep immediately straightened awkwardly.
“…Hello, Vargas.”
The man stopped directly in front of him.
Silence.
Then:
“You stole my wrench collection.”
Deep pointed defensively.
“I RETURNED most of them.”
“After blowing up my storage room.”
“That was scientifically unpredictable.”
Vargas looked ready to throw him into the ocean.
Dhruv stepped forward carefully.
“Sir, we actually wanted to ask about borrowing your ship.”
Vargas stared at him.
Then stared at the ship.
Then laughed so hard nearby birds flew away.
“THIS wreck?”
Deep crossed his arms proudly.
“She has personality.”
“She has structural trauma.”
Dhruv tried not to laugh.
Vargas sighed deeply before climbing aboard the vessel.
“You boys planning suicide or adventure?”
Dhruv smiled.
“Maybe both.”
For the first time, Vargas smirked slightly.
“…You sound like Harun.”
Dhruv froze.
“You knew my grandfather?”
The old man glanced sideways.
“Knew OF him.”
Silence followed briefly.
Then Vargas’ expression darkened.
“And if you’re chasing whatever he died for…”
He looked toward the eastern sea.
“…you’ll need more than courage.”
Dhruv’s fingers tightened slightly around the hidden map beneath his jacket.
Vargas continued walking toward the engine room.
“You got a navigator?”
Deep immediately answered.
“Working on it.”
Vargas snorted loudly.
“Then you’re dead already.”
Three hours later… they still did not have a navigator.
Which was becoming a problem.
A major problem.
Apparently navigating between continents required:
– storm route knowledge
– ocean current reading
– hunter territory awareness
– and not accidentally sailing into sea monster zones
Dhruv had confidently said:
«”How hard can it be?”»
Then accidentally pointed East using the wrong side of the compass.
Deep still wouldn’t stop laughing.
“You were literally facing SOUTH.”
“Compasses are emotionally confusing.”
“YOU ARE emotionally confusing.”
Now both boys wandered through East Verdan’s evening market searching desperately for someone willing to navigate a barely functioning ship.
Results so far:
– one scammer
– two drunks
– a retired pirate
– and one man who claimed to communicate with fish
Deep considered hiring the fish guy briefly.
Dhruv refused.
The streets glowed warmly beneath lantern lights while crowds moved between stalls.
Music drifted through the air.
For a moment… it almost felt peaceful.
Then Deep suddenly stopped walking.
“…Wait.”
Dhruv blinked.
“What?”
Deep pointed ahead dramatically.
At first Dhruv didn’t notice anything unusual.
Then he saw her.
A girl stood near a crowded card game table surrounded by several angry men.
Dark blue jacket.
Sharp eyes.
Black gloves.
Confident posture.
And currently… she was stealing from them.
Smoothly.
Effortlessly.
One distracted gambler shouted at another player while the girl quietly removed an entire coin pouch from the table.
Dhruv stared in admiration.
“…That’s impressive.”
Deep nodded seriously.
“Professional level.”
The girl turned casually to leave.
Then immediately noticed both boys staring at her.
Silence.
She narrowed her eyes instantly.
Dhruv smiled awkwardly and waved.
“…Hi?”
The girl’s gaze immediately shifted downward toward Dhruv’s jacket pocket.
Toward the hidden map.
Her expression changed slightly.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Then she turned and walked away quickly.
Dhruv’s eyes sharpened.
“She noticed.”
Deep blinked.
“The map?”
“Definitely.”
Without another word, Dhruv followed her into the crowded market.
Deep sighed dramatically and chased after him.
“WE ARE MAKING TERRIBLE DECISIONS TODAY.”
The girl moved fast.
Not panicked.
Calculated.
She slipped through crowds smoothly while lantern light flickered across wet streets.
Dhruv kept pace carefully.
“Hey!”
No response.
Still nothing.
Deep eventually caught up breathing heavily.
“She walks terrifyingly fast.”
The girl suddenly turned sharply into a narrow alleyway.
Dead end.
Dhruv and Deep followed immediately.
Then froze.
She stood calmly atop stacked wooden crates holding a small blade casually against Deep’s throat.
Deep blinked.
“…Okay impressive.”
Dhruv raised both hands.
“Relax. We’re not enemies.”
The girl studied them carefully.
Her eyes were sharp in a dangerous way.
Like somebody constantly calculating escape routes.
“You’re Harun Mehata’s grandson.”
Not a question.
Dhruv slowly nodded.
“…How do you know that?”
Instead of answering, she asked:
“Who else knows you have the map?”
Dhruv’s expression became cautious.
“That depends. Who are you?”
The girl jumped lightly down from the crates.
The blade disappeared back into her sleeve instantly.
“Deepika Dural.”
Deep immediately pointed dramatically.
“WAIT.”
He squinted suspiciously.
“You’re THAT Deepika?”
She looked annoyed already.
“What does that mean?”
“The navigator who escaped three police blockades during storm season?”
Deepika crossed her arms.
“They were slow.”
Dhruv looked between them.
“…You’re famous?”
“Unfortunately.”
A messenger bird suddenly landed near the alley entrance screaming:
«”BLACK GULL CREW SEARCHING EAST MARKET.”»
Deepika’s expression darkened instantly.
“Damn.”
Dhruv noticed immediately.
“They’re after the map too?”
Deepika looked directly at him.
“You have no idea what you’re carrying, do you?”
Silence filled the alley.
Rain dripped softly from rooftops overhead.
Deep stepped slightly closer.
“You know about East Cloud.”
Deepika stared at Dhruv for several seconds.
Like she was trying to decide whether he was brave or simply stupid.
Probably both.
Finally, she sighed.
“You’re going to die without a navigator.”
Dhruv grinned slightly.
“So you’ll help?”
Deepika immediately pointed at him.
“Don’t smile like we’re friends yet.”
“Fair.”
She walked past both boys toward the alley exit.
“Meet me at Rust Harbor tomorrow morning.”
Deep blinked.
“That’s a yes?”
Deepika glanced backward once.
“If your ship sinks, I’m leaving you both.”
Then she disappeared into the rainy market crowd.
Silence.
Deep slowly looked toward Dhruv.
“…She threatened us professionally.”
Dhruv smiled while staring toward the alley exit.
“Yeah.”
The harbor wind blew through the narrow street softly.
And for the first time since this journey started… their strange little crew finally felt real.
END OF CHAPTER 7