The Asmaphaeri Ocean stretched endlessly before them. The sun burned high overhead, casting a warmth across the polished wooden deck of the traditional sail ship. The ten sat or stood in a lazy arc near the starboard side of the ship, leaning on the railing or lounging in the hammocks tied to the masts, the wind threading gently through their clothes and hair. The ship creaked rhythmically with the waves, gliding forward with a dignity only ancient craftsmanship could give, only using enchanted wind and an atmosphere so tranquil. Narisva then tilted her head, and casually spoke.
"We really need a new name."
That snapped everyone out of their ocean-gazing stupor. Xander raised an eyebrow as he yawned.
"What, you mean like our squad name?"
"The group name. We're not the 'Seventh Enlightenment' anymore. That was our title in the Academy. We're not students now. We've grown. That name feels... too academic."
Elyonari muttered, brushing some silver strands out of her face.
"She's got a point. We're practically walking continent-level threats. Our title should reflect that."
"I agree," Vastarael said lazily, one eye open. "Also, calling us the 'Seventh Enlightenment' makes it sound like we're just a bunch of essays away from graduation. Not... you know, Divine-tier operatives capable of fighting gods."
Eldrigan leaned back against the railing. "Alright then. So what do we call ourselves?"
"Obviously something badass," Farrynelle said, arms crossed. "Like... 'The Worldbreakers.'"
Peroncerea groaned. "That's a terrible name. Sounds like a toddler tried to name a death ritual word."
Farrynelle glared. "Oh? What do you have then?"
Peroncerea twirled her finger. "Something more elegant, like... 'Nocturne Vow.' Or... I dunno, 'Silent Howl.' Something dramatic."
Elyonari rolled her eyes. "Why are we all naming like we're trying to start a cult?"
Adelasta, half-asleep while sitting on a floating cushion thanks to Vastarael's Float Rune, espoke flatly: "We could just call ourselves 'The Ten.' Simple. No need to overthink it."
"Ew, that sounds like a failed novel," Denisia said with a laugh.
"What about 'Divine Spectrum'?" Eldrigan suggested.
"I sound like a rainbow," Vastarael muttered.
"'Ocean Burners'?" Narisva suggested sarcastically.
"That sounds like we eat seafood and regret it," Xander added.
They all chuckled. The brainstorming was getting out of hand. One by one, names started flying across the ship:
"Chrono Thirteen" (there were only ten of them)
"Saints of Ruin" (too dramatic)
"The Reforged" (too try-hard)
"The Goddamns" (Farrynelle's idea—immediately vetoed)
"Broken Light" (Peroncerea's favorite, but everyone said it sounded like a therapy book)
"Order of Flaming" (Eldrigan was not taking this seriously anymore)
Eventually, everyone was slumped, either sitting or lying down from laughter, failed suggestions, or just laziness. That's when Natalis, who had been quietly leaning against the railing with Denisia, looked up and said softly:
"What about… Sentina Erideae?"
Silence fell. Everyone slowly looked toward her.
"What?" Farrynelle asked.
Denisia, seated beside her twin, smiled. "Sentina is derived from the ancient Godscript tongue. It means 'sentient hope.' And Erideae is a reconstructed word from old Spheraphasian language, the dialect used during the Destras Cataclysm. It means 'threads of divinity.'"
"So... 'Sentient Hope, Woven Through Divinity'?" Vastarael interpreted, standing up straight.
"Or 'The Living Hope of Divinity,'" Natalis added. "Depends how you phrase it."
Elyonari's brows furrowed. "That's… beautiful."
Xander blinked. "That's... surprisingly deep."
Narisva nodded slowly. "It fits."
They all felt it.
"Sentina Erideae," Adelasta repeated, tasting the name. "Not too long. Not too grand. Just... right."
"It honors what we've become," Vastarael said. "We've been through the worst of the worst. Hell, I almost died giving my Divinity to people. But we're still here."
"And we're still Divine," Elyonari added.
"And we're still family," Peroncerea said.
"And we're hot," Farrynelle grinned.
They all laughed. Vastarael, arms behind his back, looked out at the sunlit ocean.
"Sentina Erideae. That's what we are now."
As the wind brushed their faces and the shimmering ocean stretched out endlessly before them, the mood shifted from joking to serious.
"So," Eldrigan said, his arms crossed and a smirk tugging at his lips, "who's the group leader?"
Without hesitation, eight voices almost in chorus, turned toward one person.
"Vastarael."
The man in question blinked.
"Huh?"
Adelasta chuckled softly beside him, not at all surprised.
"Don't act shocked," Farrynelle said, her hands on her hips. "Back in the Erna Isles, we only survived because of you."
"Yeah," Xander added. "You spent two and a half years preparing that war. You coordinated the pace, placed traps and stalled the Frozen God alone just to buy us time."
Natalis chimed in with a teasing grin. "Not to mention you killed half a million Infected Krepsunas by yourself. That still makes me sick just thinking about the blood."
Denisia flicked her twin's forehead.
"That's not the point. He planned everything. He's always the one who actually has a plan when the world's falling apart."
"And unlike most of us," Peroncerea added with a casual shrug, "you don't mind getting your hands dirty."
"You're already leading us without knowing it," Narisva said, arms folded. "And when you're not around, everyone still asks what would Vastarael do? So yeah. You're the leader."
Vastarael looked at them all, one by one. The sea breeze tugged lightly at his clothes, and the wind whistled through the ropes above. He could see how serious they were. They weren't asking. They had already decided.
He let out a quiet breath.
"Alright… I'll take the role."
A small cheer broke out among them.
"But," he added, "if I ever get taken out or disappear again, Narisva takes over. No arguments."
"Damn right I do," Narisva muttered under her breath, smirking proudly as she rested her hand on the new scythe slung on her back.
"Which means," Xander said, "we'll also need to set up our power rankings."
"Oh that's gonna be a mess," Eldrigan said, half-laughing. "Let's do that when we get to the Islands. No point doing it now and breaking egos."
"Agreed," Elyonari nodded. "Especially since some of us are still learning our Divinities."
Vastarael nodded. "Good. But just remember that this isn't a contest. Power rankings aside, we are friends. All ten of us. If we don't trust each other, we fail. We are Sentina Erideae now. And to survive the first test, we have to be a team."
That was when the clouds began to darken. Elyonari's head turned slightly. Her irises shimmered faintly emerald as she gazed out toward the far horizon.
"A storm is coming," she said. "A big one."
Farrynelle narrowed her eyes too, electricity flickering faintly off her skin.
"Yeah. I can feel it in the air. It's dense. Too dense."
"How long?" Vastarael asked, his voice turning sharp.
Elyonari didn't hesitate.
"It'll hit us this afternoon. Might last until morning."
"Perfect." Vastarael turned, his eyes flashing gold as the ocean wind began to pick up. "Alright, listen up. I'm taking command now."
The others straightened, already instinctively falling into formation.
"Elyonari, you're in charge of stabilizing the wind currents. Make sure we stay on course but don't speed up the ship. If we push too fast, we'll tear the sails."
Elyonari nodded immediately, already waving her hands as wind began to curl around her fingers.
"Xander, Eldrigan, you're in charge of defense. If anything breaches the skies or the sea, I want you both ready to counter it. I'll handle any apex monsters myself."
"You got it," Xander replied, cracking his knuckles.
Eldrigan summoned his morphing weapon with a casual flick. "Hoping something tries to bite us."
"Adelasta and Narisva," Vastarael continued, "you're my support unit. Any energy fluctuations, disturbances or void abnormalities, you notify me immediately. I trust your instincts the most in chaotic weather."
Both women nodded. Narisva tapped the blade of her scythe while Adelasta was already checking her daggers.
"Farrynelle and Peroncerea, help Natalis and Denisia as they observe around the ships. The waves might get intense and we don't want any surprises. I don't care how 'modern' this ship is. We can't let seawater in."
"On it," Farrynelle said, her tone focused now.
Denisia gave a thumbs up. "Finally, something to do."
Vastarael walked to the center of the deck and turned, the wind swirling around him like a vortex of command.
"We have seven days to get to the Islands of Inexpelcae. Seven days of storms, monsters, sea pressure, and madness. So stay together, stay focused, and don't leave the deck without reason. Got it?"
A chorus of voices replied as one.
"Got it."
The storm clouds crackled in the distance, lightning flickering on the far horizon like a warning. The test had begun.