The silence lasted for a few more minutes.
*PSHSHSHHH* A hissing sound suddenly appeared from the point where the captain of Cataclysm was pulled in the water. The water started bubbling and clouds of vapor appeared above the sea.
A giant pillar of fire pierced the water surface and the young man, still covered in fire, floated out.
"DAMN YOU, OLD MAN!" – His face was red, from the heat or the embarrassment.
Vice-Captain sighed with disappointment and raised his cane another time. – "We're here not to fight each other, Captain Rayan." – The cane slightly tapped the ground. – "So, please, calm down."
'[Sorcery: Gravity Pull X12]'
Captain Rayan was instantly back into the ocean.
Then he looked towards the Cataclysm. – "Vice-Captain Snow, could you please stop Captain Rayan's rampage before the other Lords arrive?"
On the deck of a red-sailed ship appeared a middle-aged man with glasses. – "Yes, sure Lord Willmar, could you please…"
Vice-Captain snapped his fingers. '[Sorcery: Shift]'
And the middle-aged man disappeared. – "I've sent him near your captain." – He explained to the rest of the Cataclysm's crew and cast a protective barrier around them too.
"The old man is as strong as ever…" – Muttered James.
"That flaming man was also an Ocean Lord? Like our Captain?" – Asked Alexander. Suddenly James exploded with a loud laugh. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"
Only after a few minutes he stopped and answered. – "Ocean Lord? Yes. Like Cap? No." – He then pointed towards the Vice-Captain Willmar who was silently waiting for something with closed eyes. – "Lord Willmar is strong as hundred of Captains Rayan. And even I can probably fight with him easily. The main difference is that Cap is from the older generation of Ocean Lords. Only three of them are still alive. All the others are the new generation of Ocean Lords. They are still immature babies."
After ten minutes, with a white flash, another ship directly appeared near the Sorrow and Cataclysm. A giant wave immediately came crushing towards it but there was no expected impact as the wave just passed through the ship as if it did not exist at all.
"And that is…?" – Asked Alexander.
"Spirit Queen. The oldest from this generation and the only female captain. Stronger than that Rayan boy."
Willmar opened his eyes. – "Greeting Captain Cornelia." – He slightly bowed forward and smiled.
"Long time no see, Lord Willmar." – A tall and muscular woman exited from the captain's cabin. She wore a white crown which also held her long blonde hair together. Two things were the most eye-catching in her appearance. Three long scars on her face, one of which even went directly through her left eye leaving it slightly whitish and apparently dead, and a massive, black triangular shield on her back. Two of its sides were extremely sharp.
"You are as charming as ever, Captain Cornelia."
She smiled slightly. – "And you and your boss are still the only people who can sincerely call me charming."
"Lord Blake is not here?"
Willmar nodded. – "He had to do some preparations. Captain will be here shortly."
Cornelia's gaze moved towards Cataclysm and immediately saw the depressed looks of the crew. – "Rayan did something stupid?"
"Nothing that a bit of cold water can't solve." – Answered Willmar looking towards one spot under the sea. Cornelia nodded. – "That idiot…"
Then she sat down on the deck and, following Willmar's example closed her eyes, waiting for the others to arrive.
[…]
Suddenly many bubbles popped out on the surface of the sea and a mainmast started emerging from the ocean, but the next moment it changed the direction and at full speed went towards the spot where Captain Rayan was submerged.
*BOOOOOM*
Rayan's figure, at high speed, flew out of the water, but under the effects of Willmar's sorcery, he was immediately pulled back into the water.
The new arrival finally emerged from the sea. – "Hahahaha, let me guess. Rayan attacked Lord Blake the moment he arrived?"
It was a young man with green eyes. On his side, there was a short sword, and on the other side a dagger.
He was smiling, very satisfied after slamming Rayan with his ship.
"Greetings Captain Cornelia, Lord Willmar."
Cornelia scoffed and didn't answer. – "Glad to see you as cheerful as ever, Captain Jarnar." – Said Willmar as his expression suddenly became cold. – "I hoped to avoid fighting between Captains before the mission, so to avoid any further anger from Captain Rayan, I have to do it."
Jarnar's expression suddenly changed. – "N-No! Please! It wasn't intention…"
'[Sorcery: Space Lock]' – His whole figure froze.
'[Sorcery: Forced Teleport]' – He disappeared.
Vice-Captain sighed. – "Don't worry, I just sent him near the location where Captain Rayan is locked." – He explained to Jarnar's crew.
"That was Captain Jarnar and his ship Maw of the Sea." – Said James to Alexander even before he could ask the question. – "As I told you, they are still too young."
"How many are we still waiting?" – Asked the boy.
"Two…three more."
[…]
A ray of silver light pierced the sky, and a few waves were directly split in two. This time it wasn't a massive warship, but a sailing ship. There was a middle-aged man sipping tea from a small cup. A sword was placed near his feet. His hair were gray with a strange tinge of green in it.
"Nice to meet you again, Vice-Captain Willmar. How's going, Cornelia?"
Then he saw two other ships. – "The kids started fighting?"
"It was a long time, Captain Silversea." – Willmar's voice was slightly more respectful than before this time.
"I'm not a captain. As you can see, I have no crew and no ship."
Cornelia smiled. "Will you ever become a proper Ocean Lord, Leonard?"
"Naah, don't want to. It's too bothersome."
Alexander threw a glance at James, waiting for an introduction. – "This one is the oldest Ocean Lord from this generation. His legacy is a bit special. As you can see, he has no powerful ship nor many crewmates, but even so, he is the strongest one."
"His sailing ship's name is Silver Spark and it's the fastest one in the Broken Ocean."
"Now only one ship is missing."
Alex, puzzled, asked. – "Didn't you say before that three people were missing?"
James grinned. – "The last two will arrive together. They are always together."
[…]
Alexanders felt a sudden chill pervading his body. A hand appeared on his shoulder. – "Be careful. This energy is dangerous for all the living creatures." – Said Doctor as the chilling sensation disappeared.
"They arrived, at very least." – Commented James from the side.
The whole ocean became a bit less lively. The gigantic waves grew less fierce and the sky became a bit paler.
A gray ship was slowly approaching them. The sails were white and slightly torn. On the deck there was nobody.
"A ghost ship…" – Mumbled Alex unconsciously.
"Yeah, it's literally a ghost ship…only ghosts and its captains can survive the power of the Gray Harvester."
Alexander nodded but immediately after a sudden doubt made him wonder about something. – "Captains? More than one?"
"Yeah. A husband and wife. And both with the authority of Ocean Lords."
[…]
"Greetings, Captain Nikolash." – Willmar saluted. – "How are your kids doing?"
"Nice to see you, healthy and strong, Lord Willmar. Kids are ok. They are always asking about you when we return home." – Said a young man covered in a grey robe. On his back, there was a long magic staff with a slightly glowing blue gem on top of it.
A few moments later a young woman exited from the captain's cabin. – "Yeah, they always ask about "Grandpa Willmar". You should definitely visit our Grey Dominion when you have time, Lord Willmar."
Vice-Captain smiled. – "I certainly will, Lady Roselle!"
Captain Cornelia opened her eyes. – "So, now we're only waiting for Lord Drake?"
Willmar nodded. Suddenly Helena intervened. – "He is already near. In an hour John will be here."
'[Sorcery: Release]'
Willmar's cane tapped the wooden deck and a few seconds later two figures slowly emerged from the ocean.
Rayan was calm and composed. – "I'm sorry for my earlier offense, Lord Willmar. My legacy is still difficult to control."
"I know, I know…For now it's not difficult to stop you, but still, you have to train more." – Nodded the old man.
Jarnar was smiling embarrassedly. – "I'm sorry for my earlier actions."
Vice-Captain nodded.
[…]
All the waves around all the ships were pushed aside as a figure descended from the sky on the Sorrow's deck.
Every captain stood up and immediately saluted.
"Everyone is here. Sorry for being late." – Captain Drake waved his hand towards the others. – "Don't be so tense. Not now at least."
"I hope that everyone is ready. Our destination is Darkness Plateau. More precisely the personal world of the sixth son of their Monarch. We go there, slaughter everything, and pillage his world before returning."
He turned towards the Distant Battlefield Road.
"One last thing. Everybody must be very careful this time. There is a third party behind the Sixth Prince forces."
His energy skyrocketed and the Distant Battlefield Road's circles started spinning slowly.
The speed grew quickly and suddenly a ray of brilliant light shoot in the sky and beyond from the artifact.
"Let's go." – Commanded Drake and the Sorrow of the Black Sea sailed at full speed towards the portal.