After the battle had ended most of Collen's day had been wrapped in haze. While the rest of the crew was cleaning and repairing the ship, the boy was mothered by Cretas. She was making sure he got a fresh set of clothes and cleaned up, fixed his injuries and told Collen to get some rest.
However the sleep came with restlessness and nightmares as every time he closed his eyes, Collen saw the dead eyes of the man looking back at him. After waking up sweaty yet from another nightmare, he sat up and looked around him. It was nightfall, most of the crew was asleep and snoring, most likely too exhausted from the battle and the work to stay awake any longer. He spotted his knife someone had found and cleaned up and placed it on a barrel next to him. He slowly reached at it and wrapped his hand around the familiar handle. Had he really killed a man with a fishing knife?
Collen left out a sigh as he placed the knife back down and walked up to the deck. The scent and sounds of the sea usually calmed him down and helped to clear his thoughts. He rested his arms on the railing, looking at the horizon. A crescent moon peeked behind a thin layer of clouds that slowly moved through the sky. The night was silent except for the waves hitting the side of the ship.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For whatever reason the gods of the sea had spared him today but not without teaching a lesson. Until now he had been surviving by staying invisible and doing as told. But it wasn't enough. If he truly wanted to survive, he would have to get stronger.
As he opened his eyes again, there was a hint of unusual determination in his eyes. He wasn't going to be scared anymore.