Sorrow, followed closely by burning Cataclysm, half-submerged Maw of the Sea and elegant Spirit Queen at full speed entered the pillar of light.
Alexanders' insides trembled and he nearly threw up his lunch. For a moment he could only see white light with some golden specks and strings weaved in it but gradually his eyesight returned.
The insides of the portal were like a huge liquid tunnel made from condensed light. Like a waterpark slide but immaterial and much bigger. 'Wait…what is a waterpark? Ah, whatever, probably another memory that comes from my strange dreams…'
Waves were still hitting the Sorrows' hull, but it felt like there was no impact at all. 'Are these waves some sort of illusion?' Alex had some doubts when a familiar bandaged figure appeared from his right side.
"Majestic, right?" – Asked Roland. – "Even though you probably can't appreciate the beauty of Distant Battlefield Road."
Alex nodded while rolling inwardly his eyes. 'Yeah, such a surprise that a ten-something years old child can't appreciate an infinitely complicated magical artifact.'
"Well, basically this portal is similar to one that we have used between the Seven Stars Island." – He paused and his puppet-like body made an exaggerated gesture. – "But much-much bigger and stronger."
Then he looked at Alexander waiting for a reaction, but the boy remained unamused. – "Isn't this just building something bigger? Doesn't seem all that amazing to me…"
"You are an idiot." – Roland said flatly. – "Let me give you an example. If we take a normal human being, unawakened and without innate abilities, and then, hypothetically, just enlarge him until he is as big as our mansion at Blackwater. What do you think would happen next to that human?"
Alex thought for a second, but nothing came to his mind. – "Don't know. Since you're asking, something will definitely happen to the guy, but I have no idea."
"That's right. Something will happen. His body will just collapse under its weight." – He clapped to accentuate the idea of something collapsing.
"Making something just bigger usually don't work unless you change the materials, the internal structure, the mana flow…" – He said ten other things that Alex didn't understand at all, but he got a general idea.
"…that's why Distant Battlefield Road is a masterpiece. Now you must just shut up and admire its beauty." – Concluded Roland.
"Why did only three Ocean Lords enter the portal with us?" – Alex asked immediately. – "Didn't I just tell you to admire in silence?"
Roland sighed, resigned. – "Even if this artifact is a technological marvel, it's by no means an easy thing to go to another world. The task becomes even more difficult when you need a certain precision. So, captain Silversea and lords of Grey Harvester have to stabilize the portal on the Broken Oceans' side."
Alex nodded and was about to ask something else when a huge shadow attracted his attention. It was above the ship, swimming in the tunnel wall.
"Ho ho, that's a big one." – James exited from the door leading to the lower deck. He immediately noticed the shadow. – "What do you think? A Void Whale or something from the Ocean"
Roland shrugged his shoulders. – "Maybe a Deep Behemoth?"
"Are there creatures inside the portal?" – Alex interrupted their pointless discussion.
James nodded. – "Well, sometimes some creatures are sucked from the Ocean during the transportation process. Also, some creatures can infiltrate the tunnel from the space outside."
[…]
Gloomy sky covered by clouds roaring with thunder and intertwined with ominous green lightning of cursed energy.
Barren land, covered by some dry bushes and dead grass.
A few spots had some occasional trees which were slightly moving even though there was no wind.
That was a normal view in Darkness Plateau, and the personal world of Sixth Prince was no exception to this trend.
Suddenly, without any sound, four ships appeared in the sky. Their presence itself caused the clouds to scatter.
[…]
"Willmar, where are we?" – Asked Captain.
'[Sorcery: Zone]'
The old vice-captain closed his eyes for a second and an invisible wave of energy spread from him. – "We are in the northern barren plateau. Princes' castle is south-east from our current position. Where are three cities on our way which we could pillage."
John frowned. – "Something's wrong, Captain?" – asked the old man.
"Something is amiss here…the cursed energy is not dense enough, and there is some other energy in the air."
Willmar nodded. – "Yes, I felt it too. But it's not like we can do something since we're already here. Let's just be more cautious."
"I guess you are right." – John sighed.
[…]
Half an hour after the appearance of the ships, three smaller ones suddenly started moving while the biggest just stood there.
[…]
Cranos was one of the biggest cities under the Sixth Royal Princes' rule. Esprits were busying themselves with daily work. Unlike their compatriots from the Broken Ocean, these were more like puppets than living creatures.
Like in an ant hive everyone was doing his job.
On the balcony of the central tower, a man was slowly sipping a black liquid from an exquisite glass. His eyes were the representation of the indifference itself.
'Why did I even choose to follow that brat back then.'
*Sip* Some random thought occupied his mind. 'Ah yes, right, I thought that it can't be bad following a prince…'
*Sip*
'Who could've imagined that he would be such a useless fellow.'
He downed the rest of the black liquid. – "Damn it. If, back then, I followed the second young lord everything would be different now."
He looked back towards the city. – "What the hell…" – He saw something on the horizon.
A massive ball of scarlet fire was slowly floating towards the city.
The man stood up and immediately sent some orders to his slaves.
The hive was set in motion. From under the ground appeared ten battle towers and immediately started accumulating the energy.
'Fire.' – The man gave the command and ten energy rays shot towards the ball of fire.
The smirk was about to appear on his face froze when the shots hit the target.
"Impossible! These are rank V weapons…" – As the fireball drew near the man could discern the outline of a ship inside.
*BRROOM*
Thousands of smaller fires suddenly separated from the ship and fell to the ground.
*ROOOOOAAAAAAR* Claws, horns, scales, strange limbs covered in spikes…everything that the man on the balcony saw made him think about the fire spirits.
The creatures started running towards the city. Meanwhile, a second batch was ejected from the ship.
The first wave of fire crashed on the city walls.
'That's bad…'
"Let out the berserkers." – Commanded the man. *Thum*Thum*THUM*THUM* Three two meters tall, extremely bulky, esprits jumped down from the walls and started slaughtering the fire spirits. – "Stalemate. Nice."
The next moment a white silhouette jumped down from the ship and dashed towards the berserkers.
The man on the balcony frowned as he felt the energy emanated from the new arrival. He disappeared from his position.
[…]
Vice-captain Snow swung a huge scimitar towards one of the berserkers. 'One is down. Fire spirits are not infinite after all.'
*Clang* His swing was blocked by a long black pole.
"You know, berserkers are difficult and not cheap to nurture, bastard." – Said the newcomer.
Snow stopped. *BOOOM* An energy ray immediately hit his position.
"I am the ruler of this city." – The man slightly bowed towards the direction of Snow continuously dodging the energy rays. – "Carol is my name. May I know why you are attacking my city?"
*BOOOOM*
"I am Vice-Captain of the Cataclysm, the ship you can see."
*BOOOOM*
"By the orders of the Deep, we are here to punish the…"
*BOOOOM*BOOOOOM*BOOOOM*
"…the Sixth Prince of esprits royal bloodline."
"HOW DARE YOU?!" – Contrary to his tone, Carol's expression was placid and even somehow annoyed. 'I knew it was that motherf*cker fault…Wait for a second…'
"You said that it was the Deep that send you here? You are from Broken Ocean?"
Snow smiled. – "Exactly."
'F*ck.'
Carol placed the pole in front of him. '[Cursed Art: Seven Shadows]'
His body was directly split into seven doppelgangers. Two attacked Snow, while the others just rushed back to the city.
"Wise choice." – A terrifying energy enveloped Snow. – "But you can not escape, o cursed creature."
'[Starfall]'
He swung his scimitar five times and each one released a barrage of brilliant drops of energy.
"NOOOOOOOO." – All of the doppelgangers were obliterated.
[…]
As Snow was finishing the last berserker suddenly his expression changed to that of horror.
*Yawn* He heard Captain Rayans' voice. – "Too long. Fire."
Snow immediately ran away from the city.
*BROOOM*
From the ship, a pillar of fire shot towards the sky.
1 second.
2 seconds.
3 seconds.
At first, the clouds above the city became red and the next moment a cataclysmic, meteor-like chunk of pure fire came down crashing on the city.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING RAYAAAAAAAAAN." – Screamed Snow as he was propelled in an unknown direction by the shock wave of the explosion.