The currents were changing. The tides were rising. Soon, the storm would be upon them. Soon… but not yet. The storm had not yet arrived, but it was coming. With it would come blood and fire, tides of steel, and the IronWake.
But the storm had not come yet. The tides were only beginning to shift. There was time yet. Time to change what could happen.
There was time…
So little time…
Guardian watched all of this in silence. All of it unmoving. The humans had a chance to change the fate before them. It was his duty to shepherd them towards that decision. He may have been a shepherd, but he would not interfere… not further, at least.
His gaze turned to the Fallen Isles. An important conversation was taking place there. One that could determine the fate of his sea.
Two men sat locked in conversation. Finn Crest raised his fist angrily while Ayjax Centura yelled back.
"You think just because these aren't gearborn they don't matter?" Ayjax growled.
"Of course they matter, but the gearborn are the true threat. These measly humans don't matter. Avelon, or whatever the hell those blasted traitors call it, is nothing more than a hovel waiting to be smashed," Finn snarled.
"A hovel, maybe… but they have proven already that they do matter. They nearly upended the entirety of Valencia, unless you forgot!" Ayjax rose from his seat. "I care not what you choose to do, Finn. But I will not sit idly by while this threat lives in our homesea and you do nothing. When the gearborn come knocking… you may be ready for them. But when they stab you in the back, you will fall beneath the waves. I will not let it happen, Finn. Not again."
"If we cut the head off the serpent, there will be no chance for it to bite us in the back." Finn slammed his fist into the table. "We have proven already that they aren't enough to best us. We must act… and it must be now."
Ayjax walked to the door. "I am acting, Finn. The robots aren't the only threat. They aren't even the most dangerous ones. I am not your man to order around anymore. I am my own man, and I will not allow your screwed perspective to destroy Valencia."
Finn roared, "If you walk out that door, I will…"
"You'll what?" Ayjax glanced over his shoulder. "You may have been able to force us into that mission back then. But you don't have the power to order me around anymore. It took 15 years for me to find the remnants of what you did. 15 years for me to find that boy. I will not let you destroy this sea even if that means going against you."
He flung the door open and stepped out.
"Ayjax Centura! I am the Captain of Valencia, and you will address me as such…"
He turned slowly and looked Finn dead in the eyes. "Very well. Captain Finn Crest… you can go fuck yourself."
It was as if a tremor ran through the sea itself.
Guardian sighed. The conversation had ended, and not in the way he had hoped. Still, he would not interfere. Instead, he would gaze outwards towards the problem this conversation had been meant to solve.
Deep in the sea, Valencia, a figure staggered into existence. His face and body were matted with blood and grime. His right hand tightened around a shockblaster tucked at his waist. His left hand… was gone.
Blood poured from the ruined arm as the Pirate King roared in indignation. Everything had been set. Everything had been going according to plan. He was going to kill that goddamn kid.
Glancing around, he scoffed. Of course the man had been in the baths. Without hesitating, he kicked the door open with a shattering thud. He ducked through into the interior of the house.
A scream echoed from beside him as he turned to see Gan's woman. The scream faded away with the sound of a shockblaster. A light trail of smoke fluttered in the room as the Pirate King continued forward.
His mind seemed to have gone slightly fuzzy from blood loss, but he knew one thing for certain. He had been sent on this mission to fail. They would have known how his mission would end, and they still sent him. Well, no matter. He survived, and now he was going to tear Avelon to the ground until he was the one standing on top.
But first, he wanted to kill those fuckers who trapped him in a cage.
Guardian swiftly moved past this man. He was of no concern to him. His actions would have no effect on the rising tides. Instead, he headed deeper into Avelon.
A hooded figure bowed deeply before a towering robotic figure. As the figure rose, they let out a quiet chuckle. The robot mirrored the laugh with one that sounded nearly human.
"All things are in order?" The robot asked.
"Of course, my lord Herald."
"Good. We have only just begun our movements within this sea. Soon all the seas will understand what it means to fight the gearborn. My masters will arrive and with them, the end of humanity's power."
"I am pleased to have chosen the right side of power, my lord."
"I'm sure you are. You will have your part to play in what is to come, I'm sure. Despite the problems with the recent expedition, we got what we came for. Soon we will move on the heart itself. Then, Valencia's fall will be all but determined."
"And where will you want us, my lord?"
"The Valencians seem quite adept at falling for ruses. You will be playing the part of a ruse to lure out the brunt of their forces. I hear the so-called school the humans possess would be quite a powerful target."
"We will begin preparations immediately."
Guardian turned away from Avelon and couldn't help but feel annoyance. The humans and robots alike were playing god when none of them truly knew what was out there. None of them had yet learned the threat that they were truly facing. They would learn soon enough… even if by then it may have been too late.
End of Volume I: Guardian's Blessing