Ector was walking into the practice arena they had in the cloud ship. He was wearing his training uniform; his wooden and real sword hung on his belt. He walked into the center of the area but did not find Madam Diva there.
"Are you ready, Your Highness?" Madam Diva's voice came from somewhere.
"For what exactly, Madam Diva?" Ector asked, his hands instinctively going for his swords.
"What did I tell you the last time we had a training duel?" she asked
"Next time we would be using actual weapons, not these metal scraps," Ector said, moving his hands away from his swords.
"Drop those swords on a bench and retake your position," her voice came but now still closer, above him
As Ector looked up, he saw Madam Diva having tea with Rick, floating in the air.
"Best of luck, Your Highness," Rick said before he dropped to the ground and moved out of the arena, taking a seat in one of its viewing chambers.
"What were you both doing?" Ector asked as he dropped his belt along with the two swords.
"Having our afternoon tea," Madam Diva said, dropping down after Rick.
"In the air?"
"of course. It's hard to tell now, but once you reach royal rank, you will see the word exaggeration from a different point of view." She spoke
"Are we engaging in hand-to-hand combat?" Ector asked
"of course not. Hand to hand combat is for the primitives. We are not them, come on now, conjure a sword." She said, an emerald, green stick appeared in her hand, it was not so big, maybe 2 feet in length, it had an enormous emerald on one end.
"What?" Ector asked in confusion
"Conjure a weapon." She spoke.
"How can I -" Ector was cut off as Madam Diva struck him with her stick, the big emerald stone hit his head.
In the blink of an eye, the stick was shattered into many pieces. Madam diva's throat was covered in a cloudy substance; her hands and legs were also tied up. Ector's eyes instinctually fell on Rick. There stood the old royal ranking butler, the specs glinted with anger as Ector saw an imaginary fire in them.
"Rick, leave her!" Ector screamed to his butler
"But your highness, she struck you," he said as the cloud tightened around Madam Diva's neck.
"Just leave her!" Ector screamed again, this time with tension.
The clouds all over Madam Diva disappear as she falls to the ground gasping for air.
"Please be out of this rick," Ector said
"As you wish, sire," Rick said, disappearing into one of the room's walls.
By the time Rick was out and disappeared, Madam Diva got back to her feet.
"We were just having some tea over banter few moments ago and now he tried to kill me," Madam Diva said in disbelief
"He has a soft spot for me. I don't know why, but he has it. Once he attempted to kill my uncle when he slapped me," Ector said
"One fine butler you have. Why haven't I seen this side of him until now? That bloodlust, to my senses, it must have been felt from a mile away from here," Madam Diva said
"How could I know? I am still a novice. Now teach me how to conjure a sword out of my essence abilities." Ector said
"Right." Madam Diva retook her position, and the emerald stick appeared again but this time without the enormous emerald on it.
***************
"By using a looting ability, you must have gotten it when you killed a soulless beast for the first time." Ketovan said
"I did not get any," Alex said, looking at the place where the insects he killed dropped dead before his cutlass ate them.
"Did you touch them before the cutlass ate?" Ketovan asked
"no" Alex said
"That explains it," Ketovan said, throwing the large insects on the ground, which was to be frank a 3 feet thick leaf.
"Should I touch them to look?' Alex asked
"Obviously, that how it works. Mana stored in the soulless beast reaches out to our soul and passes the message to be looted." Ketovan said, touching the caterpillar. A screen appears in front of Ketovan it was similar to his screens that appear
NAME: SLIMIA CIRINA BUTYROSPERMI
RANK: SOLDIER LV 27
AFFINITY: SLIME
MANA POINTS GAINED ON CONSUMPTION: 1200
The screen was blue with a green tint.
"The name and all are given, but the loot is kept hidden." Ketovan said
"Why?" Alex asked
"Because the loot is decided by the warped space the moment you click on loot on the screen," Ketovan said as he touched the button loot on the screen.
The body suddenly vomited a bag, which looked like it was made of silk.
"This holds the loot." Ketovan said, taking the bag up and opening it.
A screen appeared on the bag as Ketovan reached into it.
ITEMS: 3/3
1.BRONZE COINS – 89
2.SILVER COINS – 1
3.SLIME POKET BELT (EPIC) - 1
Ketovan took out the coins and the belt. Alex looked at him and the bag Ketovan was holding. Ketovan opened a small blue translucent dick under his palm and dropped the belt into it and tossed the silver coin to Alex.
"You need all the money you can get hands on. What were your coin reserves? I remember you telling, you have some mithril on you," Ketovan said
"Do you want me to read it out?" Alex asked as he opened his inventory to toss the silver coin in.
"Yes," Ketovan said
"10,000,000,000 stone, 1,000,000,000 iron, 90,000,000 bronze, 3,49,95,001 silvers, 999,800 gold, 10,000 mithril and 1000 aslothium." Alex said
Ketovan was just standing there, his mouth wide open, and his face went pale.
"aslothium?" Ketovan asked
"10,000 of them. Are they that rare that even the royals can mass only 10,00?" Alex asked, Tring to be nonchalant.
"Did you know who many aslothium coins are there in the royal vault of Uratos?" Ketovan asked
"100,000 at least, I think so," Alex said
"2! Alexander. 2 fucking coins in the entire continent. And this continent is the hub for warped spaces and rich business owners," Ketovan said
"And how many are there in the world?" Alex asked
"Little more than 10,000. You hold at least 10% of all aslothium in entire existence."
"And how many does the Motsari Corporation have?" Alex asked with a sheepish grin
"A little over 1200." Ketovan said.
"I knew it!" Alex yelled, attracting a new group of soldier ranking insects.
***************
After hours of trial and error, Ector finally managed to conjure a sword. But to surprise, it was not made of clouds. A sword forged from a single, impossibly dark obsidian-like material, so deep that it seems to absorb all light. Its surface is not smooth, but subtly rippled, as if capturing the texture of roiling storm clouds.
Flecks of what looks like imprisoned starlight shimmer faintly within its depths, almost imperceptible. The hilt is wrapped in ancient, weather-beaten leather, the pommel a simple, unadorned piece of the same dark material. The guard is minimalist, almost non-existent, giving the blade an almost ethereal, weightless quality.
When held, it feels strangely cool to the touch, and a faint, almost inaudible hum can be felt rather than heard, like distant thunder. There is no visible edge, yet it feels sharp, as if crafted from solidified air currents.
"What is this? Isn't your core something related to clouds, then why did you conjure an obsidian sword?" madam diva asked
"I don't know, but it just feels right." Ector said
"Fine, whatever. It's a conjured sword, so you can name it, unlike the one you get crafted, which were usually named by their creator." Madam Diva said, as her emerald stick disappeared and a sword appeared in her hands, a traditional long sword.
The blade gleams with a vibrant, almost liquid green light that seems to pulse from within. It is a traditional two-handed longsword in form, yet it's very material defies expectation.
The blade itself is perfectly polished, reflecting light with an almost blinding intensity, yet within its depths, one can discern intricate, swirling patterns – like frozen moss, delicate leaf veins, or the layered strata of ancient stone.
These patterns shift subtly in different lights, hinting at the living energy trapped within. The cross guard is simple yet elegant, curving slightly like outstretched branches, also carved from the same flawless emerald.
The hilt is wrapped in woven silver and deep forest-green leather, cool and smooth to the touch, and culminates in a pommel that houses a single smaller, perfectly spherical emerald, uncannily resembling a dewdrop or a nascent seed. When held, it feels surprisingly light for its apparent density, almost as if it's floating.
"This is Viridian," Madam said, holding her sword.
"I can think of a name for this sword." Alex said, holding his own up.
"And that is?"
"The flying nimbus."
***************
Hours pass since Ector conjured his new sword. He entered the helm room of the ship. He found Rick sitting there on what would have been a captain's chair if not for their private cloud vessel.
"Rick," Ector called to Rick
"Your Highness." Rick stood at attention, but something tugged at his usually warm eyes. Maybe a hint of sadness or even frustration.
"I am sorry for earlier, I know you were trying to protect me, but Madam Diva's job is to mold me. We pay her for it, don't we?" Alex said
"Yes, we do." Rick said, the previous hint of sadness dissipating into thin smoke as a grin appears on his face
A loud siren was heard from outside. Rick turned the front part of the room transparent to get a better look. Ector marveled at the mastery Rick had over his powers. But it was soon beaten by the view that stood before them in the air. Floating in the air was a ship, and no normal ship it was.
Imagine a floating fortress, a testament to ancient ambition and pyromantic mastery, a behemoth carved from colossal, magically hardened timbers and reinforced with volcanic rock and shimmering brass. The Pyreheart Galleon is not merely a ship; it is a mobile island, a blazing dominion that casts a shadow long enough to encompass a small settlement.
An awe-inspiring spectacle, an edifice of war and wonder. Its hull, crafted from petrified dark wood that seems to absorb light, is stained with char and edged with obsidian-like plating, giving it the appearance of a monstrous, floating coal. Along its flanks, at regular intervals, are massive, articulated panels of polished brass and enchanted iron, capable of sliding open to reveal fearsome artillery or to vent gouts of super heated steam
The main deck is a sprawling expanse, akin to a town square. Here, you'll find cobbled pathways, small smithies, armories, and even open-air market stalls catering to the hundreds of crews and specialists who call this vessel home. At its heart rises the colossal Pyreheart Citadel, a multi-tiered central superstructure resembling a feudal castle, complete with battlements, crenellated towers, and intricate carvings depicting dragons, phoenixes, and volcanic eruptions. From its tallest spire, a permanent plume of smoke, sometimes tinted with magical hues of red and orange, billows into the sky, serving as a beacon and a warning.
Every significant beam, every panel, every archway is adorned with intricate carvings depicting epic battles, mythical fire elementals, and ancient civilizations. Gilded accents of gold and bronze gleam against the dark wood and stone.
Amidst the utilitarian aspects, there are elevated observation decks with polished telescopes and even small, magically enclosed gardens where exotic, fire-resistant flora thrives, offering moments of serene beauty amidst the ship's martial splendor.
Everyone in the world knew that the Pyreheart Galleon is one of the prized possessions of the strongest and most influential families in Eternia. The Motsariis.
"Your highness, we are being contacted by the ship. What shall we do?" rick asked
Madam Diva too emerged into the room and was Starstruck by the grandeur of the ship.
"Hail them," Ector gave his permission.
A beam of cloud emerged out of their ship and approached The Pyreheart Galleon. Then a voice came from nowhere, but Ector realized it was from the ship. It was soft melodious voice of a woman, listening to it was like listening to birds' chirp in the early morning of his palace gardens.
"Hailing from The Pyreheart Galleon. Our captain wants to invite you onto our vessel," the voice said
"Who is that generous man who wants to give us lift even after we have such comfortable vessel?" Madam Diva asked, her voice hinted with sarcasm at the word generous, but her heart ached to get on to the marvel she was seeing before her.
"Vincent Motsari," the female voice replied.
***************