-Marek-

  ‘Woosh,’ the boat rocked as it crested a wave, sending a spray of salt water into the wind. It’s been several years since Ella (my wife) had gambled on the caravans to reach me, and it’s been about a year since Pa decided to take over the kids' education.

  I gaze off into the horizon of the sea, contemplating how much livelier things have gotten since Ella arrived. At the time I could scarcely believe that she had made the journey and what a near thing that had been.

  If I had been any slower in wiping out the swarm of Lesser Hive Spores, the kids might not have made it. In fact, it’s a miracle they did make it; apparently they have some pretty serious traits.

  Pa seems like he has had his youth injected back into him. Well, he has always been an eager teacher, even if most dismissed the value of a high mastery of instinct path skills. As for me, it's hard to say if I regret focusing everything on spearmanship.

  I’m one of the deadliest warriors in the village, but sometimes it’s hard relying on others to notice trouble. I sigh as I turn to head back into the ship; the only monsters I would be able to spot out here are the kind we avoid at all costs. Suddenly the boat is violently shaken, and I’m thrown to the deck.

  I struggle to stand, holding onto the mast to regain my balance, but just as I do, a fin cuts clean through the middle of the ship, and I'm launched back yet again from the impact. I reach to pull out my spear but feel nothing. It’s then I notice both my arms cut off cleanly just past the elbow, blood pouring out as my vitality drains from the devastating injury.

  The half of the boat I'm on violently bounces about in the tide, and I'm thrown on my ass again. A member of the crew comes over to me and drags me into the ship, and I barely notice as a massive set of jaws swallows the other half of the ship whole.

  The ship medic uses magic, and the loss of blood is stemmed, but my arms remain stumps. I can hear a ringing in my ears and dizziness threatening to overwhelm me. I vomited violently over my legs and flopped to the ground as everything was too much and too sudden.

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  Next I come to where we are still in half a boat, but it seems the others are far less panicked. The monster that attacked us must’ve been satisfied with half a ship. I try to pull myself up but slump back against the bed. It hit me again. I just lost both my arms.

  A potent cocktail of fear and denial, but as much as I didn’t want to believe it, this is the reality of the world we live in. A monster passes by, and countless lives are snuffed because humanoids are cursed with stunted potential.

  Bitter tears and an apathetic doctor are my only companions as the ship limps back to port. I can’t help but bitterly reflect on myself that I suppose this is why our ships are designed to be ripped into pieces and still function. Another thing I can't help but find oppressive is that out of everyone who survived, I'm the only one with significant injuries.

  Elliot was the only other one who got hurt, and his injury was only a piece of wood getting stuck into his lung. That kind of injury took minutes to fix, but mine, mine was permanent. Most injuries or scars were looked upon with respect, but losing your arms was the end. My role as a guardian of the town is done, my status as a knight will be stripped, and worst of all, my ability to protect my family will be gone. From now on if I'm lucky, I'm dead weight, but I've heard stories about women abandoning crippled men.

  Even worse is if she stays and tries to protect me. Powerful nobles often have men to capture cripples at high levels so they can frame and execute them. Some go as far as killing families who care so nobody seeks them out for vengeance. Again I feel my stomach twist in nausea and resolve myself not to let such a fate befall my family.

  This half would’ve sunk if it wasn’t for the flotation runes, and that thought reminds me that Pa has my boy learning from that old dwarven runemaster. Maybe it’s a good thing he didn’t follow in my path; at least I know he won’t be eaten by passing monsters. Maybe he will be able to do some good like his master. I never properly appreciated runecraft, but when it's needed, it can make all the difference.

  All my life people have admired heroes who protect what humanity has left. I still do, even in my diminished state. It's just how our society raised us. Pa was different. He always did his best not only to slay monsters but also to survive, and I never considered how he must feel being one of the few elders in our village and the only warrior among all his comrades to last until now.

  The others wave in the rescue craft, and those of us who survived are brought over, and our wreckage is towed into port. I watch the crowd gather as we get near families desperately trying to spot everyone I had failed to protect. I had failed them. I was the knight assigned to the naval vessels this month, and now. . .

  I can’t help but ask myself, what good am I without hands? Why didn't I die when it attacked?

  But my line of thought is interrupted as a little girl jumps out from the bystanders and clings to my waist. Instinctively I try to embrace her, but my stubs can’t do it. I hold myself together as I try to draw strength from my little girl's embrace, but I can feel it like a tide threatening to drown me the moment I lose focus.

  My sweet girl does everything she can to help me as she guides me home. I feel the urge to run as she holds the door open for me. I don't want Ella to see me like this, and Pa was finally pulling out of his slump. I don’t want this to hurt my family, but before I lose my nerve, Callia pushes me in. I suppose we have to face this whether we’re ready or not.