we shall all burn together
A shimmering gust answers Melita’s call, slipping into being with a breath of salt and sunlight. It rises from the sand in a swirl of seafoam and fine lavender petals, laughter light and wordless caught in the breeze. The spirit flits toward the Firecracker with obvious delight, trailing mist and brine as it dances along the hull, weaving in and out of rigging and ropes. Where it passes, soot and grime dissolve like old scars washed clean, metal gleaming, sails flicking taut and proud in the wind. The ship seems to shimmer in response, colours brightening, the Firecracker preening beneath the spirit’s touch like a dragon enjoying a bath, basking in the attention with a slow creak of approval.
