This was no fight. She was harvesting souls.
As they advanced toward her, some soldiers stumbled, losing their balance on the fragile ice. Others shattered the frozen surface with their weight, plunging into the frigid sea like falling anvils. With a single punch, she sent a man flying as if struck by a massive catapult stone.
She was pure terror incarnate. Her blood smeared figure radiated a ruthless, almost inhuman power, and the sight of her sent a cold wave of fear crashing through Aster's chest.
He stared too much ..
Another strike landed, and he was hurled through the air, crashing toward the waters once more.
He struggled toward the surface, but a sudden streak of golden light, a shooting star fracturing the air with ice-blue shards, slammed into the ocean. Near Aster, the water began to boil, the bubbles stinging his cheek, and then, he could move no longer
He could not hear. Could not smell. Could not speak. Could not breathe. He only saw slightly blurred light. The ocean had become frozen around him.
In fact, three figures were encased in an icy tomb:
Him , Lorean, and the icy Holy Guardian
'What kind of luck does this guy have? I wonder if did he ever imagine he'd end up trapped in a frozen ocean?' Lorean mused silently as he look at a frozen young man meters away from him frozen in a ridiculous drowning position.
'It was something random to say not a challenge!! How the hell does this even happen. I will die from coldness before i even ran out of breath!! You've got to be kidding me!!!!'
Then, with a thunderous crack, the ice egg shattered, scattering like glass. Aster was free once more. He was destined to witness a new dawn.
He was shaking as the waves battered him from all sides. Struggling to breathe, Aster felt dizzy for a brief moment.. He felt helpless , the best thing to do was :
"Heeeeeelp!!!! Help meeeee!!" he even felt pity toward himself. But life was more valuable than dignity in his eyes..
**
On a ship consumed by ruins , among dead corpse , a short girl gripped a bloodied curved sword in her small hands. Surrounded by four soldiers, she said:
"Four grown men against a petite girl like me? ahh men these days !"
Before she could finish, a soldier lunged. His sword sliced through the air, leaving a faint whistle as it cut toward her. Sylvia pivoted on the balls of her feet, knees bent, letting the attacker's momentum carry him forward. Her sword intercepted his strike with a sharp clang, sparks flying from the collision. She followed through with a tilting upper cut that tore through his chest, sending him sprawling onto the ashen wood.
The remaining three advanced, boots scraping against the wooden surface, sending tiny shards skittering across the battlefield. Sylvia's blade elongated in a fluid motion, straightening into a long sword that hummed as she swung it. Her blade arced vertically, slicing through the air, narrowly missing the first soldier as he dodged.
Steel met steel again. She released her weapon at the precise moment, blood dripping from her palm, and a new sword wove itself from the crimson, glinting in the sunlight. The attacks as synchronized wave, but Sylvia moved like water. Sliding under one strike, sidestepping another, her dagger flicking out to stab at a wrist, then retracting before the enemy could counter. A dance of slashes and thrusts
Each swing of her sword left marks on the ship wood : splintered edges flying like tiny projectiles. One soldier's armor buckled as she twisted her blade against his guard, sending him crashing backward into a wall.
Her weapons shifted with precision ; curved blade for speed, dagger for close range, spear for distance. Each movement calculated, instinctive, a seamless adaptation to the chaos around her. The dance of blood and steel ended swiftly. The three soldiers lay dead, sprawled across the fractured ice, weapons shattered beside them. Sylvia stood amid the carnage, her sword dripping and slowly melting.
Her eyes flicked to the sky, where the golden star collided against the ice figure in the distance.
"Not much time left" she muttered, her voice low but resolute.
Behind her, the remnants of the other ship caught fire, flames roaring as the structure collapsed. Just like the last ship, three government vessels were reduced to ruins, smoke curling into the cold air.
then a desperate scream echoed in her ears
"Heeelp!!! Help meee!!" She looked toward the screaming person . He did not look like a government soldiers. he did not wear the distinguishable uniform. He might be a spy though or a trap.
Sylvia wanted to help people. She wanted to save him. she lunged toward the edge of the ship with heavy steps and jumped. as she was falling her crimson straight hair fluttered and in a short moment she reached the water.
as she crashed against the water, without wasting any time, she swam toward the drowning young man passing by the shard of wood and metals. Until, finally, she reached him she grabbed his shoulder and tightened her grip and swam toward ice terrain.
she climbed the ice and pulled him out of the water.
Both of them were breathing heavily
"Thank you ma'am" Aster said as his breath echoed
Sylvia looked up at the battlefield and the right toward the ruins of the ships. 4 familiar figure were running from the runs
'Good' her friends are all alive and their are already heading back to the ship just like the frontline did. the government had lost the battle badly. no warrior is left , their swords pierced in the ice like shrines and their bodies scattered across the field . After all it wasn't surprising , they were mundane humans who used relics made by sorcerers as weapons. it wasn't fair.
suddenly next to her a head broke the surface of the water. black hair clung to his pale skin. and his clothes glued to his body showing his shredded figure.
"Evren !! You are alive!" Sylvia said with a happy ridiculous smile on her round face.
"There is no time to waste , lets head back to the ship" even his voice sounded pale and indifferent.
Sylvia stood in a hurry then bent toward the slender man breathing heavily next to her. she carried Aster easily and fixed his belly on her shoulder. She was way shorter than him, his long swinging legs were ridiculous…
He did not care. He no longer had the strength to stand on his own feet, let alone run across an icy plain.
Evren looked at him with a deadly stare
"Don't worry , maybe he s a prisoner"
"Are you stupid , it can be trap."
"He was asking for help… A-and i will tie him up" she said as she smile ridiculously of shame.
indeed Aster was tied with a rope of blood, shaking on the shoulder of a small lady running across corpses of dead soldiers on an ice field
he looked toward the sky a golden star raged and moved in an immense speed across the sky as walls and giant flakes of ice falling. He couldn't believe that two humans fought there.
They were Aetheriis…
"That's our captain… Lorean, Master, Ashen consuming arm and a sword weaved from purer light. "
Sylvia said as arrogance filled her voice.
"Don't worry, you won't have to deal with him, even if you plan on fooling us… Anyone of us can take care of you."
Aster remained speechless as both, Sylvia and Evren , ran at an unhuman speed. he only starred at the golden fray in the sky.
**
"Evren, it's not in your manners to help random people" Lorean said quietly, his voice low, carrying a glimpse of sarcasm. Evren lingered before replying. The sea breeze tugging at his coat and damp hair.
"They're at the front of the ship. Sylvia is waiting for your orders."
Lorean gave a slight nod, letting him move away. The ship cut through the waters, far from the battlefield non. The distant ice and flames reduced to glimmers on the horizon. The deck was calm, except for the soft steps and the murmur of exhausted crew members. Hours of chaos were behind them, yet the air still carried the taste of smoke and salt.
A familiar voice pierced the calmness. "Captain, everyone is safe. Just some minor injuries." Relief brushed across Lorean's features, over the stoic mask he wore for his crew. He exhaled, letting the tension ease
He lifted his head toward Amaris. She was leaning casually against the short wall of the balcony.
The ship's central structure rose in two levels, with multiple rooms and balconies, creating a small fortress above the deck.
Amaris held a cup of juice, bringing it to her lips with a slow sip. Her short brown hair brushed lightly against her cheeks by the gentle breeze and her golden eyes wide as they stretched toward the horizon.
Far away, a molten gold sphere clung to the cold expanse of the sea, casting streaks of vermillion and crimson across the waves.
The sky above remained untouched by the sphere's fiery glow ; the clouds stayed pale and white. The tears now drowned in darkness. Torn veil of radiant white clouds struggled to cover the black heavens. Sometimes succeeding in masking the darkness, yet leaving cracks through. The scene was majestic. The world was a beautiful place. But only to stare and admire.
Lorean continued along the deck, passing by his soldiers with a small, reassuring nod or a faint smile. Some returned his gestures, others whispered congratulations.
He moved among them like one of their own, not above them, letting the warmth of shared relief spread across the tired crew.
At last, he reached the front of the ship. Sylvia sat on a sturdy chair, alert yet visibly exhausted. Her dark eyes following him with a mixture of trust and concern. Beside her, a young man was tied to the wooden pole that held the sails high. His black hair wet and matted with dirt and his face covered in minor cuts and bruises.
Lorean's coat rippled gently in the breeze and his posture was relaxed, unassuming.
He then let out a small, dry laugh, one corner of his mouth twitching.
"You actually survived" Lorean's tone was casual, almost teasing, but his green eyes studied Aster carefully.
Aster lifted his head and looked with his indigo dark eyes. Then his face started twitching as he shook in fury
"You blonde clown…. Why the hell did you split the damned ship in half !! and how in the world did you freeze the freaking ocean !!!"
Lorean's eyes widened as Sylvia looked at Aster in fear. she bit her lips as her eyebrows shot up, as if something shouldn't be said, had already been.
"I heard it from the pale guy" Aster quickly added looking at the blonde muscular in fear
Lorean exploded in laughter, his ridiculous laughs echoed across the deck…
after moments of the blonde man laughing alone in the ship like a clown. he took control of himself and said to the purple eyed guy ,tied to the pole like a wet crow.
"So tell me Aster. How did you end up in the battlefield? "
Aster lingered for a couple of seconds.
"They took prisoners from my island. i was in one of their cabins for a couple of days" his voice was low and tired
He looked genuinely malnourished as bruises covered his body, far from any trained spy or agent.
Lorean sighed and then said
"Are you from the close island ? we can get you back to your home. We are heading there anyways " Lorean stared with his sharp emerald eyes at Aster , as if he was piercing his soul with his gaze.
Aster felt unease under his sight and uncontrollably words escaped his mouth
"Yes. Please , if you do me a favor"
Lorean knew he was from the island not afar from their current location. It was the only habitable island here. it would take weeks or maybe a month to reach another habitable land.
but he could only ask just to make sure. Some rumor hunted him for years after all.