In the ocean, a ship glided across the calm waters, its sails adorned with intricate golden embellishments
"So how was your 'epic' journey, did you find that place? "
The sky above looked familiar, draped in a white radiant veil of clouds that softened the daylight.
"Yeah, but i ruined everything"
here was no sun to be seen; instead, its golden light fell down from tear like openings scattered across the cloud veil.
"Chaos seems to follow you."
a calm voice, almost a murmur against the ocean breeze. He ran a hand through his black hair. The middle part falling perfectly to brush his earlobe. A short figure clad in a black outfit that accentuated its shredded physique. Four short swords rested at his waist. "You said you were on a journey to save the world "
His eyes suddenly narrowed. Three faint shapes dotted the distant waters, growing steadily larger. The black haired guy stared with a jolt of disbelief striking him. "Government ships?!"
The flag, now clear, flapping in the wind. It was undeniably the insignia of the governing power. The ships themselves were not the colossal battleships Evren had seen in ports, but they were substantial, perhaps one hundred meter long.
"Why are they attacking you, Lorean?" Evren turned, confusion etched on his face. "I thought we are on their side."
"Not anymore. If there was ever any doubt about the world plunging into chaos, it's certain now. It's only a matter of time before the heavens begin to devour themselves. Don't misunderstand me, I truly tried. But it seems things did not go as planned" a sigh escaped his mouth
A long white coat draped over a muscular frame covering his arms. A long sword with a white polished wooden hilt, wrapped with fine gold wire attached to his back. with a shock of messy blond hair and piercing green eyes, he simply shrugged.
"It doesn't matter now."
He moved with purpose, his voice sharpening. "Evren, you focus on the back of the main ship. We'll handle the front lines."
Without another word, Lorean strode towards the back of the ship, where Amaris and Sylvia stood. Amaris, a Tall woman with short, brown hair framing a strong, feminine face and yellow eyes like a hawk, leaned against the railing. Beside her, the short Sylvia, with long, straight red hair cascading to her lower back and cute bangs framing wide, black eyes, hummed a tuneless melody.
Lorean appeared behind them, his presence commanding.
"Captain," Amaris's voice held a playful lilt, "why are there three government ships in front of us? Is this a present for your latest journey?"
Sylvia's cute voice chimed in, "I hope there are some-"
Lorean cut her off with a sardonic chuckle. "Hah. You two, take down the ships on the sides. Split all our soldiers between you two."
Amaris's eyebrows shot up. "Ahahaha. All our soldiers are sixteen Aetherii , Captain. Are you sure we can take down three government ships with hundreds of warriors? Look, the small ships are twice the size of our humble vessel."
Sylvia looked at her with confusion and raised one eyebrow. "Huh???"
"I mean…" Amaris quickly corrected, "we can take them, but it'll be tiring.. We can just escape…"
Lorean simply smiled. "Don't worry. The worst thing that can happen is they rain us with arrows."
Just then, Sylvia gasped with a ridiculous expression on her small face. "Captain, they're freezing the ocean!"
Indeed, the water beneath the approaching government ships began to shimmer, a thin layer of ice spreading outward, growing thicker with alarming speed.
"Ah, poor Evren," Lorean mused, almost to himself.
Amaris whipped her head around. "You sent Evren alone again?! Are you trying to get rid of him, you fool?"
Lorean laughed, a deep, resonant sound. "I hope he can hold his breath. Let's just hope he went deep enough so he doesn't get frozen."
Behind him, the low hum of their crew carrying out their usual routines filled the air. Someone cleaned their teeth, another cracked their shoulders, two men shared wine and food, yawning lazily. One tenderly kissed his girlfriend's head while she innocently sipped her juice, wide-eyed.
"Captain," a voice called out, "can we have fun, or do we do it fast?"
"Do whatever you want," Lorean replied, his gaze fixed on the approaching ice. "I just want the ships down when I finish the main one."
"Tied with a tight schedule again," another voice sighed.
the government ships got close too fast. 300 meters seperating them from the small ship they pursuited.
Suddenly, a jolt rocked the ship as it stopped completely and remained motionless. In the same instant, warriors poured from the government ships, leaping across the frozen expanse, while the sky above flickered with a hail of arrows.
At that moment, the sixteen Aetherii of the "Sword Of Light" crew surged forward, in a whirlwind of motion. They leaped from their single ship, sheathing swords, stretching in mid-air. Some wore bloodthirsty grins, others were indifferent, some happy, some surprised by the sudden assault, but not one of them showed a flicker of fear.
"Well then, let's move, Sylvia!" Amaris declared, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Amaris and Sylvia joined forces, surging towards the front lines with the sixteen Aetheriis at their heels.
"So, what's the plan?" Sylvia asked while running , her voice surprisingly calm amidst the escalating chaos.
"Take four Aetherii with you to take down the ships," Amaris instructed. "Most of their power is on this ice field. We'll play with them."
Sylvia nodded, slowing her speed, backing away from the immediate frontline and addressing the Aetheriis gathered around her. "We'll sneak from this chaos and head to the ships." Then she unsheathed a small knife , and cut her palm . Her blood was like a crimson waterfall. And suddenly it took the shape of a curved blade with 1.5 meter long.
Just then, a government warrior at the forefront stumbled and fell. Then another, and another, a domino effect as tens of them collapsed onto their knees or lay sprawled on the ice, desperately trying to get up. One of them, still on his knees, lifted his sword, his head snapping up…
Twelve Aetherii had already attacked. The government warriors, caught flat-footed, found themselves facing not a solid line, but a tempest of individual, deadly fighters. The ice beneath their feet became treacherous, slick with both water and quickly spreading crimson. Blood, a stark contrast, painted the turquoise ice, and as the white radiant cloud veil above bore witness, the sounds of metal rubbing against metal filled the air. The thirteen Aetherii , having shattered the enemy's momentum, held the undeniable upper hand against over two hundred warriors.
Somewhere on the icy field, a hand erupted from within the frozen surface, then another, a moment later. A head followed, crushing through the ice, eyes burning with a cold fury, wet black hair plastered to his scalp. His breaths came in tight, ragged gasps, his body shivering uncontrollably.
"Curse you, you filthy blonde—"
A distant shout sliced through the air, cutting him off: "Fiiiiiireee!!!!"
"Huh?" Evren raised his head, his vision momentarily blocked by the towering hull of a giant ship. The clamor of dozens of warriors reached his ears. He launched himself upward, fingers finding purchase, and began to climb the cold, metal side.
Sipping sounds spread from the surprisingly calm ship. Lorean was sitting on a chair relaxing as he was looking at the battlefield with a glass of fresh juice in his eerie ….. hand ?. the chaos of the battle outside muted but still audible.
"Are they stupid? Just one Holy Guardian! Anyway, I must be grateful. No dumbass would declare a war on the government with sixteen warriors. Hehe, I wanna see Evren's face when he hears he's wanted."
Suddenly, the main government ship's flag erupted in flames, visible even from afar.
Lorean sighed as he watched the fire festival, "I swear, no matter what situation that pale rat gets in, he'll somehow survive."
A shattering crash filled the air. The juice, previously sipped, spilled across the deck.
Lorean was no longer on the ship…
On the battlefield below, where screams of pain and shouts of fury covered the atmosphere, a shooting star split the sky, leaving behind golden sparks in its wake.
"Finally !" Amaris breathed, a relieved sigh escaping her lips.
On the now burning flagship, a colossal mountain of ice abruptly took the place of the incinerated flag, extinguishing the fire in a rush of steam.
"We're sorry, Your Honor, the intruder is nowhere to be found," a soldier stammered, addressing a tall, wide-framed man with a sharp face, stark white hair, and eyes as piercing blue as the very ice surrounding them.
Suddenly, a golden meteor struck the front of the ship. Soldiers fell, the vessel tilting sharply.
"What now?! I thought we were sent to catch a dozen of Aetherii! What the hell is happening in this damned sea?" a man shouted with a trembling voice, struggling to maintain his balance.
"Your Honor!" another soldier cried out, his voice laced with terror.
In the spot where the blue-eyed man had stood, there was now only a fracture of ice. The remaining warrior's eyes widened, and he let out a trembling whisper. "What…"
Then, with a sickening shock, the soldier's head slid clean from his shoulders and fell to the deck.
Holding two short swords, stained with crimson blood, Evren let out a cold sigh.
"So you're the killer!" a surviving soldier screamed, charging at him.
A death stare, black eyes wide open and burning with wrath, was the last thing he saw as his skull shattered under a precise, vertical cut.
In a sudden , with a blinding golden light beam, the ship split in half.
"At least let me get out of here, you lowly blonde clown!" Evren screamed, his voice laced with a bitter cold, as he plummeted into the frigid sea. The battlefield in front of them was solid ice, but here, there was only the vast, cold ocean
High above, in the air, a matte black, inhuman arm, wreathed in black vapor, more akin to a demon's limb, swung a longsword. The weapon, alive with golden sparks in the atmosphere, clashed against a massive, icy blade.
"are you finally out of your mind?" Lorean's voice cut through the din of battle as he laughed
"Curses!" Oberon snarled, clearly having a difficult time clashing with the blonde man. The sky rained fractured ice and was torn by golden slashes, a testament to the brutal duel unfolding above the chaos.
Heavy breath echoed inside a dim cabin. The air was heavy with darkness, as though the walls themselves were holding their breath..
"I m literally stuck in a ship in a battle. Nothing worse can happ-"
His words were torn apart by a sudden flash: a sharp golden beam seared across his vision. The ship shuddered, then split cleanly in two.
"Curse my life further more…" He screamed in a fury tone
Daylight flooded the cabin, devouring the shadows as the colossal vessel was slashed apart by a vertical strike.
His indigo wide eyes lifted to the open sky. The roar of battle rushed into his ears ; clashing steel, cries of soldiers, and the chaos of war above. He saw soldiers plummeting from the above, their armored bodies scattering like broken stars.
When his gaze dropped, he caught sight of the ship's ruins collapsing into the cold, merciless sea.
Among the wreckage, a slender figure followed. draped in tattered black cloth that barely clung to his frame. His raven black hair danced a chaotically against the turmoil of the waves.
Aster was falling…
He hit the surface of the sea, and a shivering cold swallowed his exhausted body.
He swam toward the surface, his eyes catching the reflection of daylight above. His head broke through the water. A few feet away, his gaze fell upon a flat sheet of ice, miraculously untouched amidst the chaos. He clung to it, pushing his trembling body out the freezing water.
Turning toward the sound of distant steel, what he saw pierced his heart with terror. Hundreds of bodies littered a distant ice field, torn apart by the relentless strikes of battle. At distance twelve warriors held their own against a hundred soldiers. And at the center, a tall woman with short hair and piercing, eagle-like yellow eyes moved with lethal grace.
This was no fight. She was harvesting souls.