The townspeople and merchants ran helter-skelter as the waves turned into high tides and crashed into the shores.
The soldiers began to run towards the horses.
"The horses are escaping! Get them !"A soldier the same age as Nine shouted out to other members.
"Escort the citizens at all costs! You are the shield of Atlanta. The coward who turns his back is an eternal outcast and shall face the saintess' wrath."
"Yes Sir!"The soldiers were told to regroup and prioritize the safety of the lives around them.
"The commander knows how to boost up their morale."Nine chuckled as he charged with the rest toward the ships.
Laurentius ordered the soldiers to protect the citizens until they were taken to a safe place.
"Sloane! Take charge of evacuating the town. Nine's already heading with the others for the ships. And Jack!...take this message to the Royal Army's headquarters. Take knight Ernesto with you."
"Understood Sir!"They grabbed the horses and departed in a flash of light.
"My Lord! Lady Patricia is nowhere to be found."A knight came running and explained that half the town had sunk into the ocean within moments.
-"Patricia...where have you gone?"Laurentius prioritized the mission and joined the soldiers in the waters where the ships looked like nothing more than debris floating on the raging waters.
-"The sea serpent is charging towards the town?"
"No!"
All he could do was hopelessly watch everything wash away into the sea. His men, the people, countless innocent lives, and the houses. Yet he ran into the town to look for his comrades who might've had a slim chance of escape.
Unfortunately for him, he was greeted by violent waves.
"co.... under!.....der....."He heard the faint sounds of a young girl desperately calling out to him.
-"Patricia?....no....Sloane...?"He lost consciousness as water engulfed him from every corner.
Everything was destroyed. The once bustling town that was once a renowned trading port vanished in a blink of an eye less than a day.
-----------------------
The next day at dawn.Valentino Residence...
Stygian flew inside the room through the open window and circled the chandelier squeaking in a shrill voice that caught Sebastian's attention.
His bird rarely behaved oddly at times when it sensed something ominous.
He took out a piece of dried meat and raised it in midair for it.
He swooped down and aggressively tore it in half and wolfed it down in less than a second.
It was certainly odd to see it behave eerily.
"Master I have brought you a guest."His butler knocked on the door and announced in hesitation.
"Where is the guest?" Sebastian inquired as he fixed his collar and put on his jacket over his shoulders.
"Umm... My lord...it is a bit complicated."
He stuttered hesitantly.
He picked his eye patch and wore it over the cursed half of his face.
He watched Stygian chow down the last bit of meat and darted over him and sat on his shoulder.
"Let's go, boy." he gently stroked his chest as he sat pleased with his breakfast.
He opened the door and saw the butler patiently waiting to escort the young lord to the guest room.
"Who is it at this early hour?"
"It... It's the crowned prince, My lord."
Sebastian couldn't believe what his ears just heard.
Was his butler just blurting out some random words?
-"Has he gone insane?" He strode with bigger steps with anxiety that flooded his mind.
He barged into the visitor's room and found the blonde man in a white suit sitting before him reading a small pocketbook.
"You've got guts to barge into someone else's house unannounced." Sebastian furiously growled.
He smirked sarcastically closing his book he looked up at his half-brother who didn't hesitate to bear fangs by just looking at him.
"Calm down now wild beast. Who would believe that we are brothers in this situation?" he shrugged and stood up from the sofa and put his book in his pocket.
"Let's go out for some hunting shall we?" he proposed some private brotherly time together.
"What are you on about?"
Sebastian sensed that his sly brother was up to no good.
"How rude to be doubting your brother who shares the same blood."
Their relationship deteriorated even further after Estelle's death. She was their godmother.
"And what if I refuse?"
"Oh please. I know you go out to hunt at this time of the day. Just like in our childhood days."
-"So that you'd try to eradicate me from existence in one shot?" he glared but remained silent.
He remembered the last time they were in the hunting competition together was when Lucretia and Sebastian became the victims of an attempted assassination on the hunting grounds when he was thirteen.
"If you want to say something better hurry up and leave."
"What if I say it's about the Nirvana girl?"
The first thought in his mind was of Sloane. He clenched tightly as Stygian let out a shrill cry.
He had to take the bait now. There was no going back.