Elder Astra

"The wind caught her hair, and she breathed in the scent of freedom with nothing but exhilaration in her heart."

Written by: Astra

Introduction

Astra is currently a Guru, switching between her small homes in the Northern, Southern, and Island Air Temples. She began as an airbender living with her two parents in the Si Wong Desert and traveled to the Air Temples in search of a better life, leading her to become a Watcher, an Elder, and finally a Guru. The following article gives insight to her life story, including notable moments and achievements.

Table of Contents

Character

Personality

Curious and eager to learn, Astra has always had a deep interest in reading and writing. She spends most of her time doing just that. She also has an interest in outer space and the stars: her parents gifted her the name to match it, and since her birth she’d always been drawn to the world outside her own. Astra is lively and spontaneous and enjoys a good adventure. At times she can be snarky and sarcastic, but all in good fun. She has wit and likes to tell herself she also has a certain charming charisma.

Above all, Astra cherishes the time she spends with her loved ones and values her friends and family. She enjoys her responsibilities as a Watcher and Elder and takes careful heed to be assiduous and considerate when it gets down to business. Like many other nomads, she strives to enhance her spirituality everyday, looking especially to Guru Zhaake, Guru Div, and Elder Jinji for advice and guidance. She has become an extremely spiritual woman due to her focused efforts to improve that aspect of her life.

Appearance

Astra stands 5’10 with long, thin brown hair and light brown eyes. She ties gold jewelry into her hair which she keeps back in a long braid. She wears loose, muted orange pants with a brighter orange robe-like cover that’s draped over her shoulders and falls to her knees, cinched at the waist with a thick brown leather belt. This outfit matches that of her twin brother, Lui, both of which were crafted by her friend Pallas, a spectacular seamstress who’s been designing Astra’s outfits for years. Astra’s blue-gray Watcher tattoos can be seen just under her bangs and on her hands. Lastly, she dons a gold bracelet on her left arm atop a thin wrap of mauve fabric to match a counterpart worn by her twin brother.

Life

Astra was born an airbender to the thriving Misty Palms Oasis, a town found deep within the Si Wong Desert and the only settlement for miles. The sandy hills stretching as far as the eye could see is all she’d ever known growing up, her parents unable to afford the expenses of travel. She came to dislike the harsh heat of the raging sun and the constant scent of the dusty sand, her underdeveloped airbending lending minimal help. To escape reality, she often turned to books that spoke of worlds so different from hers, resonating with the grandiose and colorful images they provided her of places such as the Air Temples and the Water Tribes. She also looked to the stars in her moments of turmoil, the gleaming specks prominent in the night offering her peace and hope, reminding her that the world was bigger than her, and that she’d be okay.

At the age of seventeen, her two parents (one a sandbender and the other air), told her they could not afford additional schooling, but they’d been saving some money she could use to go off on her own travels. She embarked from the Oasis, finally escaping the environment that had been trapping her her whole life. She’d always got along with her parents, but at the Oasis she always felt out of place amongst the abundance of earthbenders. Her father was an avid reader who focused on the mind rather than airbending, and she’d always taken after him in that regard. He was a world traveler, and she wanted nothing more than to be like him. Though this passion of hers was a strength in many ways, it resulted in her rendering useless in the desert’s capricious climate. For the first time in her life, she felt liberated from the restraints of the earth, and she traveled as far northwest as she could. Her arduous journey is described in the story below, titled “To the West”.

Astra arrived at the Western Air Temple in mid-307 AG. She decided upon her departure from the desert that she wanted to learn how to airbend so she could impress her mother, ever the stickler for proper bending. She assumed the upside-down nature of the temple could force her to practice this. Alongside her new friend and retired pirate, Biggy, she moved in when the moon was at its peak and quickly made friends with Guardian Yeshi, who lived in Jinpa tower with her. She also met Keeper Amanthi, Master Yua, and Guardian Banyu here, all of whom she would look to for guidance and friendship for years to come. It was Keeper Amanthi who inspired her to look toward the Watcher path, where she would help gather and protect knowledge for the Air Nomads. Amanthi spoke highly of the branch and though she had some time to go before she’d become a Keeper, Astra decided then that it was the perfect path for her. Writing, exploring, and learning. It was a dream come true for the young girl. Though she vyed for Keeper, Astra still upheld her determination to bend, learning primarily mobility moves from various Masters and Guardians who kindly offered to lend a hand. Guardian Kain spent days teaching her how to blast chain, still her favorite move to date. She would later decide that she’d only train to learn self defense and evasion. She focused on air blast and other mobility moves and soon learned how to be swift and agile in the air.

After submitting her Volume I essay to become a Keeper, Astra decided she needed a change of pace, and as such she moved to the Southern Air Temple, drawn to the vibrant blues and golds and the chilly climate it offered. This would turn out to be one of the best decisions of her life. She not only quickly made some lifelong friends, such as Nun Avia and Elder Nel, but she also met her other half. During her first Keeper meeting, Lui introduced himself as the only other southern Keeper. He’d been waiting for another to come along for quite some time, he told her. They talked for hours after the meeting and came to the quite shocking realization that they were actually genetic twins as per their lineage. They studied, wrote, and wandered around Southern almost everyday together, meeting new people and learning new things. Bonded over their newfound companionship, Lui gave the idea of building a new library at the Southern Air Temple, a project that would consume the majority of their time and effort for the next few years of their lives. They also planned out the world’s very first observatory, a dream that Astra always held onto in the back of her mind, and one she believed Lui had too.

The Southern Air Temple Library is Astra’s proudest accomplishment to date. She spent hours upon hours, days upon days, planning and building alongside her twin and the newest Southern Keepers, all becoming a second family to her. The library and observatory will always hold a special place in her heart, more than anywhere in the world. She visits them often and likes to wander around the snaking tunnels and admire the globe-inspired ceiling. She finds solace in the isolated reading nooks of the library. The Southern Library also contains the very first Athenaeum, a Watcher headquarters that Astra built with Watcher Lhili. The room holds many valuable memories for her, such as bonding with Elder Jinji over their shared love for dragons, and having hours-long conversations with Lhili about rewriting Volume V of the Watcher Trials. Astra had always looked up to Lhili, so working together on such a big change for the Keepers was an experience she’d never forget.

In 308 AG, before the library was even a thought in anyone’s mind, Astra attended her very first expedition with the Keepers. This was the start of her great friendships with Lhili, Gavien, Jinpa, and Pallas. The expedition took Astra to her limits and showed her what being a Keeper was truly about. The days they were there were eventful and admittedly quite scary, but she cherishes the memories. It was also on this trip that she took a short visit to her parents, branching off from the group on her way home. Astra returned their money; the Air Nomads provided for her all she needed and more, veering her away from the materialistic principles of the Oasis. She told her parents of the beauty of the Air Temples, of her amazing new friends, of the possibilities being a Keeper held for her. They talked about Lui and confirmed he was indeed her twin brother, a secret they’d held onto for reasons beyond her. Departing from the Oasis was harder than she’d thought. A part of her missed the constant clouds of dust and the sea of tawny hills, but she knew her heart lied with exploration, learning, and teaching. Her journey would lie elsewhere-mainly growing alongside her family of Air Nomads.

In 309 AG, the highly anticipated Watcher Trials was released to the Keepers. She began the series of tests, traveling to all corners of the world to complete it in its entirety, and writing books and fulfilling countless dreams of hers along the way. Two years later, Astra was pronounced the first Watcher of the Air Nomads, and it was one of the proudest days of her life. A statue of her stands at the Western Air Temple, her first home with the nomads and one of her favorite havens. Not long after her promotion, Lui was deemed Abbot of the Southern Air Temple, and they celebrated their feats together, reminiscing on the past few years and rambling off about ideas for the future.

For years, Astra grew close with each of the new Watchers, all of them becoming the best of friends. She also stayed integrated with the Keepers, going on countless expeditions and attending various classes. She traveled with them, had sleepovers with them, and wrote with them, all the while doing her best with the other Watchers to ensure the branch as a whole remained peaceful and kept running smoothly. During this time, Astra saw the most growth within herself. She gained confidence in her words and leadership skill, but she always felt there was more waiting for her...more she had yet to accomplish.

So, early in the year 314 AG, Astra once again followed that pull. The one she promised she’d always listen to, that day on the Pirate Queen’s ship. She embarked on her trek to Air Temple Island, the wind at her feet. The temple where, in winter of that same year, she’d take over as ATI’s second ever Elder, her ceremony shared with her twin Lui as he was pronounced the full time Elder of the Southern Air Temple. Later that same year, she was approached by Avatar Tamiko, who asked her to be her spiritual guide. Astra agreed enthusiastically.

After four long years of facing spiritual turmoil within the Air Nomads and herself, the old Council finally retiring, and attempts at the Mastery Tests, Astra stepped down from Elder. She decided to become a Guru so she might share her knowledge from the last years with the Council and the Sanctuary. She set up small homes at Air Temple Island, Northern, and Southern, and traveled the world with her bison Anakhi. She wasn't often seen during these times- she preferred to step back and observe for once and focus on documenting those observations as the years passed.

To the West: A Short Story

307 AG

Air scooter could only get her so far, she realized. She sat slouched under the shade of the crimson and auburn tree, noting with a small amount of annoyance that the sun was beginning to set. So soon? It’d been just under a week since she’d left the Misty Palms Oasis- and since then the days had only gotten shorter. That, or she’d been getting more tired, she supposed.

Astra took a swig from her suede lined canister and promptly stood, her legs aching and groaning. With a huff, she sent herself blasting up, landing not-so-gracefully on a two-pronged tree branch. Watching the fading light dance on the canopy above, the girl thought of what lay ahead. She’d land in Harbor Town for food, travel on foot to Makapu Village, and take a boat across the Mo Ce Sea. From there, it’d be another quick sail to the Western Air Temple, where she’d seek out the guidance of an airbending Master. “A solid plan,” she murmured to no one in particular as she rubbed the soreness from her arms and clenched her too-empty bag of food. “Ten out of ten idea, Astra.”

After thoroughly convincing herself she’d made the right choice (there really was no turning back now), Astra drifted off into what would turn out to be the most uncomfortable night of sleep she’d ever gotten.

Three Days Later

The pirate slapped a single gold coin on the creaky wood table. “One. Take it or leave it.”

“Seriously?” she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Like I told you, this is quality cactus juice. Aged for fourteen years! It doesn’t get any better than this.”

The pirate eyes the bottle suspiciously, rubbing his scabbard beard between two fingers. “Aye if ye say so…how ‘bouts I throw in a whole yuan?” He tossed the yuan, and Astra crossed her arms. “...Or two?”

“Spirits, you must be joking.” She snatched the cactus juice and stood, nearly knocking over the short table between them. “I'm through with you. I should’ve known better than to barter with pirates.” She strode off with a sigh.

“Wait!” The man yelled. He stood up on a worn peg leg, hobbling after the girl. She walked a little faster, a frown tugging at her face, and his voice tugging at her patience. “C’mon, I can help ye. Yer lookin’ for a way to the Western Air Temple, yes?”

Astra stopped in her tracks, looking over a shoulder. “What of it, pirate?”

He took a step toward her. “I do have a name, ye know. I’m Cap’n Turtle Duck, navigator of the vast seas of the vast world, at your service,” he said with a bow, or the best he could muster with the wobbling peg leg. He spoke before she could question the name. “Cap’n Tuck for short.”

“Turtle Duck. What an interesting name.”

The man only winked.

She faced him, crossing her arms. “Care to make a deal, Captain?”

“Course, lass!” He eyed the bag. “You know what I want.”

“And you know where I’m going, it seems.” She zipped open her satchel, sorting through its contents. Food she’d bought at Harbor Town, other essentials, and ah, there. “I have three more bottles of cactus juice in my bag. Take me to Western first, and it’s all yours.”

“Three more, eh? Good thing I have three other crew mates,” he said with a toothy, yellow grin. Tuck held out his arm. “Looks like we have a deal.”

She took his hand, doing her best to ignore the grime caught under his fingernails. “The name’s Astra. And yes, it seems we do.”

Captain Tuck escorted her through the small city and finally across the Harbor Town docks, shoving a straight line through the bustling crowds. She supposed he moved quite fast for only having one foot. Astra swerved and weaved, her airbending barely doing her any favors. That’d be her first priority when she reached Western: learning how not to move like a koi fish on dry land.

The Captain promptly stopped at the end of the dock in front of a polished mahogany ship, its black accents absorbing the hot sun. A swirling polished sea serpent was carved on the bow with black scales defined in smooth layers. Sharp fangs hung from its mouth, an asp ready to strike.

“Welcome to me ship, the Wailing Unagi!”

Astra loosed a breath. “She’s beautiful.”

“Aye lass, not that one!” Tuck turned her. “This here! Me pride and joy.” He pointed to the ship-if one could even call it that-in the berth neighbor to the one she’d been eyeing.

Her shoulders drooped. “You’re joking.”

“Do I look like the jokester type, lass?” he asked.

“Yes, you literally do.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I think I’ll take that as a compliment. Hop on board! And, uh, watch yer step, please.”

The Wailing Unagi was tossed and turned by the ocean, the rusting metal lining chipped on every side. The wood was worn and dry, and dripping kegs sat unceremoniously along the deck. Bags and bottles were discarded wherever there was room. Astra narrowly avoided tripping over a groaning crewmate lying facedown on the damp floors. No wonder he only had a 3 man crew, you could hardly fit more than that comfortably.

She found the cleanest spot she could and took a seat on the deck while the Captain barked orders at his two-man crew, a particularly large parrot perched on his shoulder. Astra pulled her knees to her chest and did her best to ignore the lingering smells of booze and barf. “To the West!” Tuck yelled, standing tall at the helm and pointing a crooked finger in the distance.

“Uh, Cap’n, sir, that be the east,” one said.

“I knew that! It was a test, mate. Don’t think so little of me. Now, we go WEST!”

Four Days Later

She’d never gone this long without a shower. All the crew ate was stale bread and watered-down cactus juice, and occasionally crispy pieces of overcooked beef jerky, which she politely declined. They’d just passed down the south side of the Lion Turtle’s cliff face, and she wondered how the ship was still afloat with its creaking floorboards and fraying sails.

“We be two days off, cactus girl,” Tuck said from the helm. “Hang in there, sea sickness ain’t no good for drinkin’ cactus juice.” He spat off the side of the ship, and Astra did little to hide her disgust.

“Yeah, yeah.” She rested her chin on her hand. She’d stand the pirates for two days longer if it meant reaching the upside-down temple. It was all she’d thought about these past days. If they’d accept her, knowing she was from the desert. If they’d laugh at her when the only move she could muster was a weak airscooter. She snapped out of the trance when heavy, frantic footsteps paraded from behind. The man came barreling past her.

“Cap’n! Cap’n!” The burly pirate-Henry, she’d learned-skittered across the deck in a panic. “It’s Cap’n Savantra’s crew, they found us!”

The Captain’s eyes got wide. He gripped the wheel and made a sharp turn, barking orders at the crew. “Grab ye ol’ sea legs!” He yelled to Astra. “We’re in for a ride.”

She stood and held tight onto a keg, which was full, to her surprise. “Are you serious? We can’t change direction now, you’re supposed to take me to the temple!” Water splashed up the side of the boat, soaking half of her hair.

“Well,” Tuck started, “It’s either we take a little detour, missy, or come face to face with the ocean floor.” His parrot squawked on his shoulder and ruffled his feathers as if in agreement. The Captain strained against the wheel, his ragtag, drunken crew in motion all around the boat. He looked to Astra and wrinkled his nose. “I’ll let you decide.”

Astra clenched her jaw and nodded silently.

They got all but 50 valiant yards before they realized they weren’t going to outrun this thing. Captain Savantra’s ship was twice the size and speed of their own, and Astra half wished she’d asked them for a ride instead.

Captain Tuck and his crew stood side by side, rusting swords in hand. The ship lined itself up with Tuck’s, barely missing a collision by a couple feet. Men with large beards and vicious eyes wordlessly but efficiently hauled a thin wooden plank between the two boats. Another set the anchor, just as Tuck’s crew had done minutes before. As if they’d planned to be here awhile.

Astra gulped. This wasn’t going to end well for her. The ship came to a full halt beside theirs, the crew staring those on the Wailing Unagi down.

After a minute of tense silence, a female voice echoed through the crisp sea air. “Hey there, Duckie. Fancy finding you all the way out here.” A woman stepped from behind the thick mast, her hands in her trouser pockets. She wore a long black coat with polished gold buttons and a black tricorn hat to match. Her shiny boots were knee-high, and a long rapier hung from her waist, the sheath patterned with whorls of red and gold. She gripped the intricate pommel and sauntered over, a series of broad-shouldered men falling into formation behind her.

The Captain, then. I was half-expecting it to be another bedraggled man.

“Cap’n Savantra. How ye doin’? I see ye gots the same crew and all. It has been quite some time since we last seen each other out in open waters. Too long, if ye ask me!”

Spirits, the man was rambling.

Savantra cocked her head to the side, her long black hair falling over a shoulder. She narrowed her crowlike eyes slightly at Astra before turning back to the Captain. She looked him up and down. Twice. The woman snapped her fingers, and the crew behind her parted in unison. A boy emerged, shorter and lankier than Astra with unbrushed scruffy hair and kind, emerald-green eyes. Though he seemed to be about Astra’s age, likely less than half that of Tuck’s, the Captain seemed to shrink back ever-so-slightly. He wore an orange shirt over cream pants, a brown belt cinched around the waist. Two leather bands on his arms matched his quite expensive-looking leather boots. Like Savantra, his hands remained in his pockets. Together, they painted a picture of casual intimidation.

“As much as I’d love to make small talk with you, Duckie, I’m not here for that. I believe,” she said, gesturing to the boy, “you have unfinished business with my mate here.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Astra could’ve sworn the Captain gulped.

The boy walked light on his feet. He hopped onto the side of the ship and crossed the plank with ease, dropping onto the deck of the Wailing Unagi almost silently. It seemed impossible, considering the uneven floorboards that would never shut up. A half-grin remained plastered on his face, even when he put it inches away from Tuck’s.

“Hey there, old friend.” He said in a high-pitched voice. He flashed a charming smile at the pirate. The two were almost nose to nose.

“B-Biggy!”

How ironic, Astra thought, that such a short guy is called Biggy.

Her face must’ve said as much, because the other pirate in Tuck’s crew, Avery, threw Astra a knowing smirk. Astra thought she and Avery could be friends if the woman wasn’t so wasted all the time.

Biggy finally took a step back and inspected Tuck’s crew, his eyes finally falling to Astra. “Say, Tuck,” he started, “I thought you were above taking captives, especially after the incident.” He frowned, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.

Astra’s head whipped to the Captain. “The what?”

“I-it’s nothing, lass! He be making things up!” He held his palms out.

Biggy threw his head back, letting out what Astra thought was probably the most blaring laugh she’d ever heard.

“Ah, I’m just messing with ya.” He wiped invisible tears from his eyes. “I won’t get in your business, girl, I’m here for him.” Biggy pointed a thumb at Tuck. “So, shall we get on with it then, Captain?”

Tuck’s eyes got wide. “I-no please, Biggy, we can talk about this-”

“And where’s the fun in that?”

In a flash, Biggy grabbed the Captain by the collar and hauled him up onto the side of the boat. Less than a heartbeat later, a rush of wind passed by Astra’s feet. An airbender, she realized. Biggy blasted Tuck upward, and the air she’d felt was from that. It also explained how he’d moved with little noise.

Biggy held the poor man over the edge of the boat, facing him down toward the roaring sea below. The Captain squirmed, only to slip further out of his grip.

“Please, Biggy! I didn’t mean no harm! It was only one keg-”

“It was not only one! You stole an entire warehouse, as far as I’m concerned. Do you know how much that cost me?”

“There ain’t no proof of that, mate! It could’ve been Avery, or Lily Liver!” Avery raised an eyebrow crossed her arms. From what she’d gathered, Astra knew Avery was only in it for the booze and would probably follow wherever the most of it was, but Avery didn’t have the guts to hurt a fly. The pirate knew she was in the clear. The parrot, Lily Liver, only squawked. Did he seriously just blame a heist on a bird? Astra fought the urge to roll her eyes. Biggy looked at both and seemed to come to the same conclusion that Astra had. He turned back to Tuck, his grin promising violence.

“I’ll get ye more if ye want more, mate. Consider it a favor! Business partners, we can be!”

“And where are you going to find five barrels of quality cactus juice, Tuck?” Biggy gave him a small shove, and the Captain squealed. “Because right now, the bottom of the ocean is looking much better to me than five empty barrels.”

“Her! From her!” Tuck, Spirits damn him, pointed to Astra. She took the smallest step back.

Biggy raised a brow, Tuck still suspended over the open water.

“Whoa, don’t bring me into this, boys. I’m just here to get to the temple, that’s all.” She did her best to make herself look small, but her considerable height definitely didn’t help.

With barely a wave of his hand, Biggy tossed Tuck back onto the deck. “We’ll get back to this situation in just a minute.” He gave Tuck a warning look before walking to Astra and looking up at her. “The temple, you say?”

She stood a little straighter. “Yes. The Western Air Temple, where I’ll go to learn airbending.”

A scheming smile grew on Biggy’s face at that. “We’re going to be friends, you and I.” He turned back toward Tuck. This time, she actually rolled her eyes.

“I have a proposition for you, old man.” Tuck said. The Captain only nodded, too shaken to do much else. “You give me the girl, and all is forgiven. Damn the cactus juice, that stuff is cursed by the Spirits anyway.” Tuck looked between his crewmates.

“Whoa, you can’t actually be considering that.” She stepped in. “You promised me you’d take me to the Western Air Temple. And I’m not just some...gold doubloon you can trade!” She threw a glance at Biggy, not even trying to hide her disdain.

“No, you’re not,” Biggy started, “But this is your lucky day. You say you’re going to Western, yeah? So am I.” Biggy turned and waved his arms in small circles. Captain Tuck went spinning five feet above deck, wailing and cursing. She almost laughed at the sight. Biggy dropped him on a cushion of air and turned back to Astra. “As you can see, I bend air.”

“Yeah, I got that part.”

“Well,” he continued, pointedly ignoring her comment, “I want to go to the temple and learn how to bend better. I think...it’s time for a change of scenery for me.” His otherwise peppy voice softened at that. And she saw it in his eyes, this kid was like her.

She pursed her lips. “And I’m assuming you want something from me in return?” She put a hand on her bag.

Biggy seemed to think. He looked to Savantra, leaning against the mast and silently observing, then to Tuck, curiously eyeing Biggy and rubbing his tailbone. “No, I don’t think I should need any kind of material payment.”

“Then why are ye here, Biggy? Why take the lass?” Tuck said.

“Because when my crew here leaves me at the temple, I’ll need a friend. Someone who understands, who I can rely on.” Astra raised her brows, as if to say, I don’t even know you. “I tend to have a fifth sense for these kinds of things. I can always tell when a person is good or not.” He inspected the Wailing Unagi. “Plus, our ship can get you there in half the time as this rusty old thing.”

Astra glanced at Tuck, then at Captain Savantra. The lady offered the faintest nod of her head. “I...think I’ll take you up on that.”

Tuck threw her an exasperated look. “What about our deal, lass? Ye can’t just leave me hanging!” He began to stand on a peg leg.

Astra threw her shoulders back and stalked toward Captain Savantra’s ship. She tossed Tuck two bottles of cactus juice that he scrambled to catch. “I’d give you all four if you hadn’t thought about trading me off.” She stepped onto the plank above the ocean. “And even though I have no doubt Biggy and I are going to be great friends, he gets none for being the one to offer. My fate is my own decision.”

Biggy scoffed from behind her. “Like I said. That juice is terrible, anyway. The only reason I’d want any is to sell it, but something tells me these Air Nomads wouldn’t appreciate that.”

Astra hid her smile and stepped onto the deck of the new ship, almost sighing at the feeling of a stable floor at her feet. While her crew gathered the plank, Captain Savantra approached Astra, taking her by the forearm. She grasped hers back.

“What’s your name, girl?”

“Astra. Of the Misty Palms Oasis.”

“Well, Astra of the Misty Palms Oasis, I like you. You’d make a fine pirate, you know.” Savantra was tall, nearly five inches more than Astra. She would’ve shrank back if the lady hadn’t reminded her so much of her own mother.

She chuckled. “It’s the nomadic life for me, but thank you.”

Savantra stepped back, looping a casual arm around Biggy’s shoulders. Her rigid pirate persona seemed to fall away as the ship took off from the Wailing Unagi. “Welcome aboard the Flaming Dragonhawk, Astra. I’m Captain Savantra. You might’ve heard people call me the Pirate Queen.”

Astra couldn’t hide her shock. This was the firebending Queen of the Sea her father always told her stories about? Astra smiled genuinely for what felt like the first time in ages.

“Let’s get moving, shall we?” Biggy said. Astra waved at Tuck and the crew one last time as the crew of the Flaming Dragonhawk crowded her, introducing themselves. Like Savantra, they dropped their act, and turned out to be a bunch of softies with a simple love for the sea.

It was a feeling she didn’t think she’d ever get tired of, the feeling of meeting new people and letting herself be as spontaneous as she’d like to. She decided then, laughing and talking with this jolly crew, that she’d follow that tug. Whoever it was, wherever it would take her, she’d let herself experience life the way she wanted. So Astra sat on the deck of the ship next to pirates she just met, surrounded by nothing else but ocean and sky, her destiny awaiting her. The wind caught her hair, and she breathed in the scent of freedom with nothing but exhilaration in her heart.