"They are faster than expected." – Prince was observing different screens with the scenes of battles. 'Maybe 'extermination' is a better word to describe this.'
He was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the gravity welding esprit.
A few satisfied smirks escaped his emotionless face while looking at an Ocean Lords' muscle being torn apart, but it was only some temporal amusement, nothing else, before the imminent conclusion to his forces' struggle.
'This outcome was unavoidable…'
[…]
Doctors' fight wasn't intense, and he just made every enemy he encountered fall inside their own shadows. Kleid captured a few mutated esprits for experimentation.
Others also didn't nearly have as many problems as James and Rayan with their opponents. Obviously, there also weren't many esprits with special powers, to begin with.
*BROOOOOM*
The second wall slowly crumbled under incessant attacks of newly arrived minions and crew members.
[…]
"It's finally our turn." – John stood up and Sorrow floated forward. In front of the bow of the ship appeared a glowing circle of energy.
The next moment an energy beam shot from it hitting the last line of defense, the final 3 towers. There was no suspense, and the last defense was easily breached.
"Why all the bother if you could just destroy everything from the start." – Mumbled Alexander while cleaning his weapons from orange insects' blood.
[…]
The whole mansion trembled, and a web of clacks covered not only the wall and the towers but also the inters of the building. The roof was about to cave in and squash the two esprits.
"Rufus, let's go and greet our guests." – Prince stood up.
The aide was baffled for a second. – "…you mean…?" – Prince signaled to follow him. – "I mean just what I said. We will greet them…"
"And then activate the formation." – A cold glint flashed through his greenish eyes. 'I am weaker than all of you, Ocean Lords, but you devastated my world, and this sin can't be forgiven!'
Rufus trembled, feeling the tiny sparks of his masters' rage.
[…]
"Your Majesty, will you grace us with your appearance?" – Thundered Captain Blakes' voice. – "Or you prefer to be dragged outside like a dog that you are?"
Two figures appeared from the crumbling mansion. – "Is there any need to be rude, Ocean Lord. I'm not my father, but still, his cursed energy flows through my veins." – Answered Sixth Prince.
Then he smiled cheerfully. – "And…are you sure that you will be able to drag me anywhere, dog of the Deep?"
"HOW DARE YOU!!!" – A fiery figure rushed towards him. 'Captains of Cataclysm are all so rash…' Sighed John.
A two meters taw silhouette suddenly popped up before Rayan and met his punch. He had a long robe with rolled-up sleeves. Bulging forearms were covered by fur and his hands had sharp claws. Newcomers' ears were slightly pointed, with tassel-like fur on them.
It was the second person, who appeared with the prince. Nobody spared him any attention before.
"WHA…!?" – Redhead captain, with shock written on his face was sent flying. – "Rufus, no need to be so barbarous with my guests." – Said Prince, but no displeasure could be seen on his youthful face.
"Yes, I am sorry My Lord." – Aides' frame reduced back to normal, and grey fur disappeared. The only thing remaining were his ferociously looking fangs slightly protruding from his mouth. – "A…werewolf?" – John asked.
Rufus bowed slightly. – "Just a mere assistant to His Majesty, not worthy of any attention from Your Lordship." – Everyone's face twitched.
'You just sent an Ocean Lord flying!'
John smiled. – "Anyway…" – And turned his attention back to the Sixth Prince. – "We will escort you to the Broken Ocean, where you will be formally condemned and executed."
"Ooh…" – Prince suddenly took out an object: a transparent cylinder. – "I don't think so!"
*Crack*
The cylinder broke. Captains' expressions changed. 'An activator! D*mn. It was a trap!'
His aura immediately skyrocketed. "You three!" – His voice sounded directly into other captains' heads. – "Return to the portal immediately!"
"BUT…!"
Rayan tried to argue but was immediately controlled by someone's will and embedded in his ship. – "NOW!" – Roared John and severed the connection with them. – "Willmar, teleport their ships as close to the Battlefield Road as you can. Helena! You go and help him."
Not even Helena argued this time.
John took out his sword and slashed downwards. An energy wave flashed towards Prince. Captain frowned. 'Too late already.'
[…]
Prince was rejoicing.
Obviously, only inwardly as he proudly considered himself a very self-controlled and edgy individual.
Following the perimeter of the inner city started shining a huge, formed by lines of energy, circle. Thousands upon thousands of magic runes and symbols pulsed, following some occult rhythm.
Just by looking at it, one would feel awe and dread. The slash that normally would be enough to take his life was dispersed by the secondary function of the portal: the core area of the portal had also a protection array.
[…]
Willmar tapped his wand on the ground and immediately paled. Some blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
'[Sorcery: Space Compression]'
Helena formed some obscure hand gestures then pointed towards the three leaving ships.
'[Space Liquefaction]'
As the Ocean Lords disappeared the golden circle shined more brightly and projected itself on the skies above the city.
[…]
Rufus felt uncomfortable. Captain Blake wasn't someone who he could fight against. 'That other Ocean Lords weren't even half as strong…'
"Don't worry. He has other things to worry about right now." – Said Prince confidently.
The aide nodded but couldn't help himself and asked. – "There are many knowledgeable people. Wouldn't they be able to break the portal?"
Prince just smiled.
[…]
"It's impossible to break." – Said Willmar. – "Technically this is not even a portal but more like a beacon. It's already late."
Johns' face was grave. – "So, we can only…"
"Yes. Only wait and see."
"Anyway, we are talking about only a few minutes…"
[…]
Already far away the three captains funneled all their energy into going faster.
They could feel and see the spatial compression applied to their ships, but it brought no joy. They knew that something that made captain of the Sorrow be so serious about wasn't something they could resolve or participate in.
"F*ck!" – Cursed Rayan. He had a very bad premonition. – "We must report as fast as we can to the Deep."
[…]
Strange silence covered the whole city.
Crew members were tense. Captain was looking towards the sky, waiting.
Sixth Prince with his aide leisurely sat on the ground waiting for the show. Alexander refrained from asking questions.
Pulsation of the portal suddenly intensified, and with a flash, something appeared in the sky. 'What is this?' Thought Alex.
"A Void ship…" – Mumbled Doctor. He fell to his knees. His face - white as a piece of paper – "No…Not them…no…"
It was a rhomboid flying object. On both sides of it, there was an insignia: a very detailed sphere, covered by something that Alex thought to be islands, pierced by the roots of an enormous tree. Its crown was surrounded by stars. Two rows of firing ports menacingly observed the ground.
Captain Blake, without waiting any more just slashed the ship in two, but more and more of them appeared, scattering the clouds of cursed energy, characteristic of this world.
John faced his crew. Alex saw unknown to him determination in his eyes. – "My friends…I think that all of you guessed who are we facing."
Doctor, who was still trembling on the ground looked up.
"And you know what it means."
"No escape…" – Whispered James.
He paused for a second. – "We fought together for many years. For Broken Ocean, for the glory, and our paths."
"It was my greatest pleasure to share my glories and burdens with you." - John slightly bowed.
"It will be the biggest gift to be able to go away in company." – He smiled.
Alexander, still not understanding, looked around. Doctor stopped trembling and stood up. James grinned. Others also showed more relaxed expressions.
"Cap, there was no need for such dramatical monologue!" – James laughed. – "Wouldn't it be legendary to fight against Him." – His dreamy expression made a few people chuckle.
Benjamin scoffed. – "Apart from captain all of us would be just killed with a glance."
"Whatever! Sometimes being killed is also a glory!"
"Idiot." – Smiled the old Hunter.
John also smiled and turned towards the incoming enemies. – "Try to destroy the ships going towards the other Lords. They must return to the Broken Ocean."
All the crew nodded.
John pointed his swords towards the sky. In his left hand appeared a revolver covered by glowing runes.
"Let's fight to our hearts' content."
Alexander also prepared to fight, and John said something else. – "Our legacy will not be lost!"
The crow on his shoulder suddenly flew up and grew into a 500m long bird.
*CRRRAW*
At that moment everyone's aura exploded outwards like never before. Alexander felt the mark of the crew member in his eyes twitch and soon a flood of energy filled his body.
"FOR THE GLORY!"