The night sky grew brighter with the moon and glittering stars as the ship continued its journey over the now calm sea. The wind blew softly. The waves only whispered. After a crazy battle with the giant undead creature, this atmosphere felt like a gift from heaven.
Altair sat on the deck, his back leaning against a water chest, his eyes gazing into the distance. Beside him, Quartzis was fiddling with a small, spherical metal device containing magic needles and a directional stone.
"If only this tool could also detect evil intentions… we'd know when Feran was hiding tapai again," Quartzis grumbled.
On the other side, Lazric opened a small chest while jotting something down in his magic notebook.
"Third fermentation ritual... total failure. The tapai exploded at three in the morning and hit Captain Dargo's trousers. Side effect: trauma to the sound 'psssst'."
Not far from them, Feran stood at the bow, still maintaining a serious expression. But secretly… his hand slipped a small piece of tapai into his mouth.
Captain Dargo walked past, sniffing slowly.
"Who's let out rotten tapai again?!"
"NOT ME!" Quartzis, Lazric, and Altair shouted in unison.
Feran remained silent. Chewing slowly. Staring at the sea like a general hiding a great sin.
The night deepened. As they gathered on deck, Captain Dargo suddenly spoke—in a quiet, almost hushed voice.
"This ship… has been through many waves. But that doesn't mean I'm not afraid. The Elemental Land is no ordinary place…"
Altair looked at him seriously. "But you still brought us, Captain. That's more than enough."
Captain Dargo merely snorted softly, then raised his wooden mug.
"If this ship returns to port in one piece… I'm retiring. Becoming a fisherman. Selling fish. Far away from fermentation chests and stubborn kids."
Everyone chuckled softly. Even Feran managed a faint smile.
But in the midst of that warmth…
PSSSTT!!!
A strange sound came from the chest at the back.
"The tapai—" Quartzis stood up in a panic.
BOOM!
A small explosion shook the ship's stern deck.
The lid of one of the chests flew into the air—spinning slowly, then falling to hit a crew member's head, who instantly fainted without a sound.
A sweet-sour, rotten aroma spread quickly, enveloping half the ship.
"What was that?!" Quartzis exclaimed, covering his nose.
"Feran," Altair said in a tense voice. "How many chests of tapai did you bring?"
Feran answered flatly, "...Seven."
"HOW MANY HAVE EXPLODED SO FAR?!"
"One."
"OH MY GOD!" Altair held his head with both hands.
Captain Dargo emerged from the helm, his hair disheveled, his eyes almost bulging. He approached, pointing at Feran while still coughing from the fermentation smoke.
"WHY DID YOU BRING SO MUCH TAPAI?! IT EXPIRES QUICKLY!!"
Feran just stood there. The firelight shone on his face from the side. He stood up slowly, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
His steps were slow, full of authority.
Altair, Quartzis, and Lazric stared at him—mesmerized.
"Wow… he's about to say something profound," Lazric whispered.
"Could be a legendary quote," Quartzis added, his eyes gleaming.
Feran sighed. He looked at the night sky, then slowly spoke in a deep voice…
"Hahaha… you don't know, Captain," he said calmly.
Everyone held their breath.
"Actually…" Feran lowered his head slightly, his voice even deeper.
"…I also didn't know tapai expires quickly."
.
.
.
"FERAAANNNN!!!" everyone yelled in unison.
"YOU ALMOST BURIED US IN TAPAI!"
"WHAT'S WITH THAT FACE OF CONVICTION!!?"
Captain Dargo banged his steering stick.
"I'M GOING TO MY CABIN!! DON'T DISTURB ME!!" he roared, then slammed the door shut.
Lazric looked at the other chests. "Don't tell me this is just the beginning of the fermentation…"
Altair sighed. "If this ship sinks because of tapai, I won't be able to tell anyone proudly."
Quartzis looked at Feran, then grinned. "Well, at least it tastes good… if we're still alive to eat it."
And that night, on the old ship with steel masts and the aroma of tapai rising, they laughed… or perhaps just laughed to keep from crying.
The Morning After the Disaster
The morning sun began to rise slowly, painting the sky with streaks of golden orange. The ocean that had been wild last night now looked peaceful, as if it had never held anger.
Seabirds could be faintly heard in the distance. The wind was still gentle, and the smell of the sea began to lose to the scent of tapai from the explosion earlier that morning.
On deck, Altair sat looking up, letting the warm morning sun shine on his face.
"It's so peaceful…" he mumbled.
"Too many fermentation explosions last night," Quartzis said, leaning against the newly installed steel mast. "This ship needs calming spells, not repairs."
Captain Dargo emerged from the helm, carrying a cup of what looked like cold herbal tea.
"I've calculated, with that steel mast… our ship's speed has decreased drastically."
Lazric looked up. "By how much, Captain?"
"If we were to arrive this afternoon, now it'll be tonight. It could even be delayed if the wind changes."
"Delayed?!" Quartzis panicked. "What if the destination is haunted?"
Captain Dargo looked at him flatly. "If the destination is the forbidden Elemental Race territory… then it's definitely haunted, kid."
Everyone fell silent.
"But we'll still arrive tonight, right?" Altair asked.
The Captain nodded slowly. "Yes, if this ship's mast doesn't fall off because some other sea creature is messing around."
Feran stood examining the strength of the steel mast that he had secured with magic and reinforcing nails. He patted it gently.
"Don't worry. This won't come off."
The Captain glanced at him. "Are you sure?"
Feran stared straight ahead. "More certain than the existence of the eighth secret tapai chest."
"THE EIGHTH?!"
Altair, Quartzis, and Lazric simultaneously turned to Feran.
"You said ONLY SEVEN LAST NIGHT!"
"Well… I kept one more in the kitchen," Feran replied calmly.
"FERAAAN!!"
A small "pssst" explosion was heard again below deck. Thin smoke crept out of the ventilation.
Captain Dargo simply raised his hands to the sky.
"Why… why am I always destined to transport half-god kids and cursed tapai?!"
And their ship continued to sail, slowly but surely. The once raging sea now looked friendly, although the waves sometimes still muttered stories of the darkness beneath them.
The morning sun continued to climb, but the shadows of the night never truly left.
They still didn't know what awaited them on that forbidden land… But for now, they chose to enjoy the morning, the laughter, and the sweet, lingering scent of fermentation.
The Villains' Morning Chaos
A thin mist still enveloped the ruins of Velmourn's headquarters, a former castle now a den for mischief-makers and dark legends. Cracked stone walls, some rooms open to the sky. But the morning aroma still pierced through, mixed with a little smoke from the underground kitchen.
In the Side Corridor – Sylvia's Room
Sylvia slowly opened her room door, still in a towel and pajamas. Her hair, usually neat, was now wild and bushy like a wet lion. Her eyes were hazy—clearly not ready to face the world.
Her steps towards the small river outside the castle… stopped.
"BAAAAAA!!"
Suddenly, a face appeared from behind a broken pillar, with a lit torch under his chin.
"GYAAAAAAAAAH!!"
SMACK!!
A lightning fist shot out reflexively, hitting the face of the intruder—Kael, her twin brother.
BOOM!!
Kael was thrown hard against the wall, sticking like a worn poster with a red face and disheveled hair.
"Sylviaaa… I think… some of my ribs...shifted…" he coughed.
"YOUR OWN FAULT! STARTLING ME FIRST THING IN THE MORNING!!"
"Hehe… I missed you."
"Only two weeks gone with Riftbreaker, and already drama?"
Kael got up, rolling his arms like a warm-up.
"Well… who wouldn't miss their own twin."
Sylvia rubbed her hand. "Next time, look in a mirror. Imagine me from there."
Kael smirked.
"Unfortunately, in the mirror, there's no you with messy hair and a face like a hungry ghost."
"DAMN YOU!!"
Kael immediately ran. Sylvia chased him with lightning currents in her hands.
In the Meeting Room – Several Floors Below
Nocturnus, who had fallen asleep at the meeting table, suddenly woke up in a panic.
"ATTACK—uh… huh?"
His head lifted from the table, looking still stiff.
Rex Ossium, who was sitting not far away carving a bone, threw a chicken thigh bone at Nocturnus.
"Oi! What are you dreaming about! You slept through the meeting last night!"
"Huh? Meeting? Where's Lord Fulguran?"
"Gone with Spectralis, to the northern mountains. Supervision business, he said."
Nocturnus yawned widely, then complained:
"Huh… my neck feels crooked…"
"You should be grateful your head can be reattached. Still complaining."
"Speaking of which… the 'Deathday' writing on my chest still hasn't disappeared, what did you write it with?"
"Hehe… with charcoal from last night's chicken roast."
"Charcoal, your head! If it weren't for my fast regeneration, I would have—"
The atmosphere was silent for a moment. Rex suddenly sighed, looking at the ceiling.
"Nocturnus… I'm actually jealous of you."
"…Jealous?"
"You can eat. You still have a body. Me? Just bones."
"Oh…" Nocturnus looked sympathetic.
"But oh well. At least I can reattach my own bones if they come off."
"Damn you, Rex…"
Nocturnus's previously sympathetic face turned annoyed.
Rex just laughed, then leaned his arm on the table.
"But I'm curious about one thing, Nocturnus."
"What now, huh?" Nocturnus snorted, giving a bored glance.
"How is it that… you're already undead, but your face is still handsome. Not a single scratch. It's like you just had a spa every morning."
"Hahaha, I told you, it's thanks to my extraordinary regeneration!"
His tone immediately turned proud, even a little boastful. His head tilted up slightly.
"It's the art of maintaining a reputation."
"Damn you," Rex grumbled in a deep voice, though a wry smile was visible on his full-toothed jaw.
Nocturnus dropped his head back onto the table, too lazy to move. But his voice quietly followed:
"Oh yeah, Rex… you've never told me. How did you… well, become… just bones."
He glanced at Rex.
"And… how did you and Umbranox join Velmourn, after Lord Fulguran returned from that other continent?"
Rex smiled broadly.
"Oho… curious, are you?"
"Let's just say that," Nocturnus replied, pretending to yawn.
Rex was about to open his mouth—
CRASH!!
The door to the room burst open. Kael rushed in, out of breath.
"MERCY!!!"
"KAEL! STOP YOU!!"
Sylvia followed, her face blazing, lightning surging in her hands.
Kael reflexively hid behind Rex, who was still sitting.
"SYLVIA PLEASE NO! I'M YOUR BROTHER!!"
"THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR MOUTH!"
Her hand glowed brightly. But before the lightning fist could fly, Kael quickly pushed Rex forward.
ZDAARRRR!!
Sylvia's fist landed squarely on Rex's ribcage. BOOM.
Rex's body immediately shattered into scattered bones.
"DAMN IT!! WHY ME!!"
Rex's head yelled from under the table.
Nocturnus burst out laughing, straightening his head again.
"Hahaha! Look who lost their body now!"
Kael ran out of the room, turning back. "Thank you very much, Rex, I owe you."
Sylvia looked even more annoyed. "JUST YOU WAIT, KAEL."
Rex's bones slowly floated and reassembled one by one.
"At least I don't need to be stitched or glued like you, handsome corpse."
"DAMN YOU!"
Nocturnus slowly stood up, taking a lazy breath.
"Ugh… I'm going to get some water, I'm thirsty."
Just a few seconds after Nocturnus left the room—
CRASH!!
The door broke open again. This time, a large man entered carrying flowers.
"MY BRIDE! YOUR HUSBAND HAS RETURNED!!"
Riftbreaker's distinctive voice echoed loudly.
.
.
.
Silence.
Rex looked flatly.
"Umbranox isn't here."
"HUH? Where is she?!"
"Lord Fulguran sent her to patrol the southern bay. With Veyron."
"...WHAT?! With Veyron?!"
"Wait, didn't you arrive with Kael earlier this morning?"
Rex asked, still reassembling his ribs.
"Yeah, but at the gate I met Lord Fulguran. He told me to escort him and Spectralis towards the mountains. After that, I came straight back. And now…"
Riftbreaker's face darkened, his tone dropping.
"Now… I must follow my wife before Veyron starts showing off."
"Well… that's the risk of being a lovesick guy," Rex said.
"Oh yeah, you're also supposed to follow Lord Fulguran. He said your help is needed there."
"Okay."
Rex stood up, his body perfectly whole again.
They both left the room together.
A few seconds later…
Nocturnus re-entered, still holding a coconut shell full of water.
He stared at the empty room, his eyes narrowing.
"Huh? Where's Rex? That damn skeleton… leaving me…"