With this impressive performance, the other boys came close to stay beside him as an encouragement. It was a new experience for him, with the muscles around his arms and legs stretched beyond their limits. He sweated profusely, and his breathing grew more profound. Even the wind wasn't taking things easy, but Akib would not let go. He had to consider this contrary factor as a motivator too.
"Great job, friend. What's your name?" Boris asked.
"Don't get yourself in trouble," Gawal interfered.
Gawal refused to appreciate the effort of the new sailor. He became unnecessarily quiet, wanting to see if Akib would actually succeed. Gawal, Boris, and Pony had been prepared enough before venturing into this journey. They had been thoroughly warned about water and its creatures, which could be disguised. Every natural body was sacred to them, and so when they found themselves in this condition, they abstained from moving it.
"Can someone give me a hand?" Akib made a request.
None of them uttered a word. They acted as if they hadn't heard what he said. After a while of rowing, Akib made his request again, like the first time.
"I'm getting tired, guys. You should help."
"You should keep on, boy. By the way, none of us knows how to sail a boat—except you want everyone to get drowned," Gawal lied.
Akib and the guys hadn't done proper introductions. Through that, he could have gained more knowledge about what they could do and what they could not. With the situation at hand, he had to go ahead.
"You are here for training, right?" Akib asked curiously.
"Of course, yes. Are you here for the same?" Pony asked.
"Yeah, I think everyone is here for the same purpose. Some boys had gone ahead already," Akib tried to inform him.
"Some boys? I learned only a few students are accommodated," Pony said.
Though Pony mentioned few students, from his own place they were three already.
Suppose three had come from other lands—the number would not be few as he suggested. Pony reconsidered his thought, then he changed to another point which he felt would be of interest.
"I want to be a sorcerer. That's why I'm here," Pony's statement aroused some vital discussion.
"Ability to use sorcery makes life easier. You'll have all you need at beck and call, you understand?" Pony said what really mattered to him about his choice.
"I think you're right, but you'll need physical strength too. You can't be a weak sorcerer, you know," Akib teased.
Pony's reaction to this assertion was one of dissatisfaction.
"There's nothing like a weak sorcerer. If there will be any like that in the future, I take an exemption. What's your strength? What can you do?" Pony shifted the discussion to Akib.
Akib hadn't thought about this question. He wasn't expecting anyone to ask him so soon. He was supposed to have talked about it with Grandma Betty, who should have guided him about it. He was lost on what to respond because he had no ability known to him.
When Pony mentioned what he was aiming for, he was actually saying he was already practicing the art of sorcery and had come to the land of warriors to be trained on a full scale. He could have displayed some attributes before he was chosen to go ahead.
Akib wasn't sent by anyone, so there were no special powers or traits that qualified him. But he had a staff and a garment.
Boris had to interfere because he had watched the aimless gestures of Akib and his speechlessness. "Don't tell me you are empty," Boris interrupted.
"For me, dealing with water and wind were no problems. I can do some stuff with my punch too. I learn fast," Boris boasted.
"But you should do something with this water… wind," Akib dragged his statement.
"I knew you would say that. You would know about me later," Boris defended himself.
"I came to die!" Akib said in a way that showed how unimportant his life was.
All the boys were shocked, but he wasn't moved. His paddles had gotten accustomed to his hands, and he wasn't afraid of the water anymore. But Boris and Pony soon converted their shock to laughter.
"You can't be serious," Pony said.
"That explains why you decided to sail this God-forsaken boat. Well, I don't think you have much to choose from. Just take us to safety first," Gawal came like a sharp sword to pierce.
But to a man who expected death, Gawal's expression was a knockoff from him. He had said what he had in mind. Pony and Boris were displeased with Gawal's comment, but they didn't want to speak up. This would result in disagreement which could impact their relationship.
It was Gawal's turn to say something about himself. He acted as if he was being involved with his shoelaces.
"Gawal, what about you?" Pony asked.
"You should ask him what his name is," Gawal was referring to Akib.
"I've got nothing to hide. My name is Akib. What's yours, senior?" Akib said.
Gawal flared up. He didn't like the way he was addressed as 'senior.'
"Are you looking for trouble, Akib?" Gawal's voice was in the sky.
Akib didn't mean to insult him but referred to the senior role he had been playing in the whole thing. He wouldn't even allow his friends to decide on their own before lording himself over them like senior boys used to do.
"I'm sorry, I meant no offense," he apologized.
"He's not the oldest, I am," Pony spouted his lips like a young chap.
Of the three, Pony was the guy with the smallest body, interested in magic, yet he was the oldest. Akib thought he had made the choice of easy life because of his stature, unlike Boris and Gawal, who were of tall size. But the most domineering of them was Gawal. He had a strong physique in addition to his height.
Akib didn't bother to raise the issue of Gawal's introduction again. He returned to save his energy for the rest of the voyage. Soon, his eyes caught the attention of someone at the far end as he was about to navigate a bend. Clearly, he had to take that route because of the flag he saw some distance before he reached here.
The deaf and dumb man had waited for them. Immediately he sighted them, he started to do as usual—he waved. He was happy to see them with his boat.
"It's him," screamed Boris.
"Yeah, it's the deaf and dumb," Pony replied.
The boys were happy that they had succeeded in reaching the shore. Gawal could not hold his joy either as he held onto his friends. Pony noticed Akib didn't say a word, which was unlike him.
"Akib?" Pony called. But there was no response still.
As soon as he saw the shore, Akib stopped paddling. He allowed the canoe to flow freely on the waves. At that time, he passed out but still maintained his position. Akib's gaze focused directly on the deaf and dumb man.
"What happened?" Pony examined him.
They brought him to land. Pony used his dress to fan him as he was lost on what he had to do. Boris was also worried, but there was nothing he could do to help.
"I say, what do you think happened to Akib?" Tears started falling from Pony's eyes.