About two months later, on the tenth day of Dolthe, Uungluk was having dinner with Chief Oholohono and his family, when a brilliant light filled the hut and a Lunari was standing before them. The Chief and his family immediately dropped to their knees and bowed, but Uungluk stood up confidently and slightly bowed his head. “I will always hear the words of the Lunari,” he said.
The Lunari glanced down at the other three people in the room. “I am Zhethou,” she introduced herself. “The Olo are fortunate to have such strong figureheads, but the future of your daughter is not among your people, as I am sure has already become apparent to you. However, I have not come to discuss that matter, but come with commands for your futures.”
“If you wish, we will leave you in private,” Chief Oholohono said.
“That will not be necessary,” She turned back to Uungluk. “The time has come, a time of need, a time when you must move with speed.” Zhethou briefly paused. “I don’t like prophetic speech, so I will tell you plainly. The end has come for the Overlord. The ships have not yet assembled, but there is no time for them to gather here. You must set sail and the others will gather with you as you approach Irata. When the Overlord has been overthrown and Irata destroyed, you are to travel south overland into the realm of the Barbidons.”
“Am I going to Lajolaine?” Uungluk asked.
“This entire land is known as Lajolaine,” Zhethou answered. “All you have seen is a small portion of the coast that has been inhabited by your kind while the Barbidons thrive in the midst of this land. There will be war for the pirates and war for the Barbidons, and Turos the Mighty will stand beside the Lunari for victory.”
“The bird was right,” Uungluk softly muttered.
The featureless face of the Lunari seemed puzzled by his statement. “What bird?”
“There was a Barbidon in Kevek that had taught a deathbird to speak,” Uungluk answered. “They claim it can tell your future.”
“Never trust a bird that eats crackers,” Zhethou said. She turned to face the Chief. “Oholohono, Chief of the Olo, assemble your armies and gather your troops. Irata must be destroyed and the ships of Prince Turos will not succeed without the help of the Olo.”
Chief Oholohono looked up. “The Olo will go to war,” he said.
Zhethou walked over and took the Chief’s hand, and pulled him to his feet. She then bent down and did the same with Ro’Ana. “Take your wife with you, that she may witness the glory of your valor.”
“Are you saying I’m going to die?” the Chief asked.
“No,” Zhethou said, shaking her head. “Death in battle is not a part of your destiny, but your strength will diminish, and a new chief will rise.”
Zhethou stepped in front of the last person still kneeling and helped Jo’Ana to her feet. “The daughter of Oholohono and Ro’Ana must choose her own path. She may follow her father or she may follow Prince Turos, but she will never return to the Olo.”
“Which would you recommend?” Jo’Ana asked.
“The decision is yours,” Zhethou said, “but I can guess which option others would consider best for your future.” She turned back to Uungluk. “Prince Turos, I will not be able to assist you in Irata, but I will meet you again when you reach Lajolaine.” She turned and disappeared through the wall before anyone else could speak.
For a moment no one in the hut spoke, but Chief Oholohono soon chose to break the silence. “Until now, I had never seen a Lunari,” he said.
“You are fortunate she did not mention the near future deaths of any relatives,” Uungluk said. “The last time I spoke with her, she mentioned my brother’s death, and it happened only a short time later.”
“Well, we might as well finish dinner before making plans for war,” Ro’Ana said, returning to her seat at the table. The others followed her example and began to eat.
“I think this is the time when you start using your old name again,” the Chief said.
Uungluk shook his head. “I am Uungluk to the pirates and should remain as Uungluk until after Irata is destroyed.”
“I don’t think so,” Chief Oholohono said. “In battle it is necessary to frighten your foe. I believe the Overlord would be more frightened by an armada of pirates led by a member of the royal family than a random pirate captain that very few have ever met.”
“I could go as Prince Turos, but I don’t have a banner for others to know me from afar.”
“The Olo can make you one,” Ro’Ana said. “We just need to know what you want to have on it.”
“I’ll have Wet Zet meet with you about that,” Uungluk said. “He has an idea for a flag.”
Chief Oholohono looked at his daughter. “And what about you, Jo’Ana? Who would you choose to go with?”
“I’m not sure,” Jo’Ana slowly answered. “The Lunari said your strength would diminish and while I don’t know all that will be involved with that, I should be there to care for you. However, if I went with Captain Uungluk, I don’t know if I’d ever see you again.”
“You should go with the Captain,” Ro’Ana said. “He can offer you a better future than if you stayed with us. I will be there to care for your father if he needs it.”
Uungluk finished shoveling his food into this mouth and stood up. “This is an awkward conversation and I have a ship to prepare. Jo’Ana, I’d love for you to come with me, and I would give you my quarters and sleep on the deck if you desired, but the decision is yours.” He turned to the Chief. “My ship can be ready to sail tomorrow, but I think it best that we move slower and plan on leaving on the first of next week instead.”
Chief Oholohono nodded. “I will inform Commander Onoromo to prepare our troops and march to Irata.”
Uungluk nodded as he ran out the door. “I’ll send Wet Zet by about that flag,” he shouted as he left.
He ran the whole way to the ship, except when he was on the boat slowly crossing the Olo River. By the time he reached the stockade, he was already shouting orders. “Launch the ship! Gather the supplies! Ready the weapons and prepare for war!”
Wet Zet ran out and stopped Uungluk. “Captain, calm down. What is going on?”
“The time has come,” Uungluk replied urgently. “Zhethou joined us for dinner and said the time has come. We must set sail for Irata and war, and the others will gather with us along the way. Even now, Chief Oholohono is ordering Commander Onoromo to gather the Olo armies to assist us.”
“When do we leave?” Wet Zet asked.
“I told Chief Oholohono that we would depart on the first day next week,” Uungluk answered. He paused to catch his breath. “The Chief suggested that I attack Irata as Turos rather than Uungluk. I need you to talk with your sister and get a flag made for me.” He glanced around and stepped closer to Wet Zet. “You might also have a talk with your niece. Zhethou said she had the option to sail with us, and I would like her to come along,” he whispered.
Wet Zet grinned. “I’ll talk to her. Also, do you want me to start calling you Turos instead of Uungluk?”
Uungluk shook his head. “No, continue calling me by Uungluk for now. We can name my ship Prince Turos, and just keep the name covered and the flag unflown until we reach Irata.”
Wet Zet nodded and left to go to the Olo village.
***
At dawn, five days later, Jo’Ana stood on the deck of the ship waving goodbye to her parents and the rest of the Olo people that were there to see them off. Uungluk had told the people his true name and thanked them for their assistance in the previous months. Wet Zet had asked for a malinoa sapling to take with him, but Chief Oholohono had decided it would be too dangerous if the enemy discovered the use of the tree and captured it, so he gave Wet Zet a small vial of the sap instead. The rest of the crew also received gifts, but they were little more than small trinkets. By midday they were passing through the mouth of Kaho Lagoon and out to sea. The crew cheered as the rebuilt monster roared in their honor as they passed by its location. By evening, the sea was quiet and the wind steady as they sailed northwest.
The next morning, Jo’Ana and Uungluk stood on the deck looking at the land they were passing. “It will take us two months to reach Irata,” he explained. “From what I understand, half of this journey will just be passing along the Olo territory.”
“Our border with the Overlord is at the Omo River,” she said, “and I have heard that it was about halfway between my village and Irata. I have never been there, though, since it was too far away for a short trip.”
“We’ll pass by it,” Uungluk said. He shifted his position. “It’s too bad someone named this land before I did,” he said. “Now I can’t name it after you.”
Jo’Ana smiled. “It was a nice try. Perhaps you can find an uncharted island somewhere instead.”
Uungluk shook his head. “I don’t think that will be necessary. Do you remember the peninsula that your parents took us to see?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“Is it named?” he asked.
“No.”
Uungluk thought a moment. “Let’s call that Jo’Ana’s Point,” he decided.
“I like that,” she agreed.