"FOR GLORY!!!"
'I'm going to die.'
"FOR HONOUR!"
'Fucking stupid father!'
"FOR LORD ELDRIC!"
'Should've stayed at home with Lavender.'
"FOR LIFE!"
'A baby would've been nice. Not now though. Sometimes later.'
"FOR FAMILY!"
'Why can't these motherfuckers be silent for at least death?'
The world would've been a beautiful place to be.
'I wonder, what's the afterlife?'
He shut his eyes, and in that moment, a slashing sound cut through the air. A streak of light broke through the darkness, akin to heaven's light piercing a cloud of shadows.
'What the hell is that!'
Then, a howl echoed—not a human's, but the Kraken's. Something potent enough to wound it had struck, and the creature bellowed like a madman. They all scrambled to cover their ears due to the sheer intensity of the sound.
Morvain was bewildered.
'Did God himself descend or something?'
Then the light intensified, dispersing the darkness. It blinded everyone, and the warriors instinctively covered their eyes. Gradually, they cautiously opened their eyes, allowing just a crack between their fingers to witness the unfolding scene.
The first thing they saw was the back of a man standing before them, holding a blue-glowing spear. His golden hair flowed like a waterfall.
'Holy shit! Spear guy?' Morvain gasped.
The warriors, as if awakened from a dream, had their eyes widened.
"Lord Emberfall!" The warriors cried out.
'Emberfall! The blonde guy is the young lord of Emberfall?!' Morvain was genuinely perplexed.
Of course, he knew about the Emberfall province. Everybody knew about the Nine great families of the kingdom. Emberfall was said to be one of the upper echelons among the great families. With close ties to the ruling house, Flameheart, they were essentially considered second in line of succession if ever the Flameheart were to fall.
Morvain was bewildered.
'What is such a man doing here? Shouldn't he be somewhere safe? Why is he here with a bunch of nobodies and peasants?'
Except for Lumiere, the ship was full of questionable people. Even the young lord Ravencore was not worth all this trouble. And no lord would sacrifice himself for the likes of some lowborns, especially for people from another low-ranking province.
Something happened in Ravencore province, something so secretive that even the highlords sent their heirs to this run-down slum. If news of their presence got out, it would be the talk of the town for months. The imperial royal family would demand answers, escalating tensions between the great families.
But if it's only the children, then it's practically a vacation.
'I need to pry the truth about the meeting from that good-for-nothing piece of trash.'
The tentacle that had poised to ruin Morvain's entire plan and possibly jeopardize the future of the kingdom was severed, wriggling on the deck like little earthworms unearthed.
The slash was so precise that the blood took a moment to seep out of the wound, as if the tentacle just realized it was supposed to bleed now.
There was no time to relax as the furious Kraken began to use its remaining tentacle to retaliate.
Lord Emberfall lifted the spear and gave it a tap on the wooden floor, perhaps to gather attention.
"Warriors--"
"Warriors!" Another voice abruptly cut him off. A hoarse voice, belonging to someone who didn't speak too often. Lord Emberfall turned around, and the warriors surrounding him simultaneously shifted their gaze to the hoarse-voiced man.
"The Stormgods have given us a chance! Attack!" declared the man, raising his sword high.
Lord Emberfall was flabbergasted, wearing an expression that seemed to say, 'Who the heck is this guy?' A moment ago, this scrawny man was darting away like his life depended on the size of his steps, and now he stood on the battleground, commanding Awakened ones.
'What in the Nine hells happened here!?'
Morvain strolled up to Lord Emberfall and casually slung a hand over his shoulder. He had to stretch a bit to reach Lord Emberfall's shoulder, and in return, the young lord glanced at the hand on him. However, Morvain wasn't one to hold back.
"You're the hero the gods picked today, my lord. The chosen one wielding this legendary spear. Today, the legends favor you. Lead us, and we'll gladly tag along."
'Wow, that was a good line. I should use that next time.' Morvain internally grinned.
Lord Emberfall gazed at him briefly and then nodded. The spear in his hands began emanating a brilliant blue aura.
'Damn, that spear is the real deal.'
Morvain gave an internal whistle.
Lord Emberfall soared through the air with the elegance of a bird. It wasn't flying, but a display of remarkable grace. Slicing through a tentacle mid-air, he sent it plummeting into the sea as if it belonged there.
Two more tentacles lunged at the ship. Morvain promptly directed everyone to split into two groups and confront the oncoming threats.
The Iron Furies swiftly formed a defensive line, their iron-clad arms blocking the tentacle's advance. The Brawlers, armed with various weapons, launched their attacks on the tentacles, joining forces with the Iron Furies.
On the left group's rear, Lumiere stood alongside the warriors, visibly straining to harness her magic. Her hands trembled, and Morvain, positioned at the center, observed her occasional efforts to wipe her nose.
Morvain approached Lumiere, suggesting, "Lady Lumiere, maybe you should take a break."
"No," she strained, offering a half-smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes. "How can I, as an Awakened, sit back while these people fight for their lives?"
Morvain was caught off guard.
'She's a good person.'
"Then, please restrain yourself. We need you the most. Don't overexert yourself. Even if we slay the beast, if you don't make it out, your father would burn this ship and the passengers in it before we even reach the main lands."
She chuckled. "Do you remember him?"
"What?"
"My father. Do you remember him? We used to play a lot before...before..."
Her eyes suddenly become distant.
'Wait, she and Eldric were playmates! Wonder what happened then?'
"I...uh...don't remember much, my lady. It was such a long time ago, and in the slums, they don't give you time to remember any good memories. In the slums, you survive for today. Hung up on the past, you're dead. Hopeful enough for the future, you're dead."
That wasn't one of his lies; it was a brutal truth. A truth that clawed at him, urging for change. A truth he'd reshape, even if it meant staining his hands with blood. There was no turning back.