As soon as darkness covered the ship, brilliant light emerged forth next, dispelling some of the darkness and helping my eyes see things clearly.
Then, I was surprised.
Shadows, shadows that were only visible due to the light erupting, were helping sailors' up and keeping them from moving and thrashing about.
"The winds are particularly nasty all of a sudden," Diablo, standing on the navigation deck with hands clasped behind his back, said, his tailcoat fluttering in the wind as he shouted, "Captain!"
Soon, I saw the captain emerge from the captain's cabin along with Mumbe Berknalz, who was radiating intense heat and light, almost evaporating the rain, as the captain took out an item.
The item was a brush, with its handle having a hand drawn ship with cartwheels on it, its surface slightly illusory, making me frown due to a headache from seeing it.
The ship's captain drew the ship with a cartwheel on thin air as the surrounding air, wind, shadows, and light inter-mixed together, eventually liquefying and spreading throughout the whole ship.
"Hurry, the effects won't last long!" The captain shouted as several sailors' soon went downstairs, possibly to peddle or row the ship?
Then, along with the sailors', several shadows went along as well, the darkness slowly dissipating as the shadows clung to the deck and went downstairs.
But enough hung around, to help keep the sailors' and I in place, slowly "escorting" us into the cabin.
"Why don't we just use a shield?" I asked, intrigued.
"There are different types of shields, those that block hostile attacks, those that block spells, and those that block… nature itself? You would die from suffocation if we cast it," Mumbe Berknalz replied as Diablo jumped down.
"If we use a shield, the ship would have difficulty in moving due to insufficient wind," Diablo toned it down a bit as we returned to the cabin, many sailors' who were injured, or needed rest drinking wine.
I blankly nodded, not thinking about the fundamental levels that the spells affected.
"Besides, there are enough "things" in here to peddle the ship."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, it's nothing to worry about, Young Master." Diablo said as I felt chills run down my spine for some reason, whether it was because of the cold or not, I wasn't sure.
…
In the prison cell with contrasting lights dancing around.
"You always knew what I did, what I was going to do, how I was going to react."
"Not just that, you also knew how people around me were going to react, how my choices affected me, how their choices affected me…"
Belite sighed, his metal cufflinks clinking.
"Just who are you?"
Silence greeted him, the points of lights and shadows ever dancing.
Soon, though, a raspy voice resounded.
"Your saviour, that's who I am."
"You have done me more harm than good, honestly." Belite chuckled, breaking into a fit of coughs. "B-but still, somehow, I still found myself in a situation where I have to ask for your help."
"And this time, there was nothing I could've done to escape, to free myself."
The raspy and mighty voice chuckled.
"Soon. You're going to be free, Bell. So free that you'll wish you never were given such freedom."
"I could never depreciate freedom," Belite shrugged, closing his eyes.
…
On a bright afternoon,
Armashore Port.
"Welcome, distinguished guests!" Arbille Bovoka'na welcomed the people in front of him, who had come from a nondescript ship, but were of importance.
Arbille always liked to welcome important guests himself, may they be merchants, lords, or even The King himself.
There were about four people descending from the ship, none but one curiously looking around, as if it was his first time here.
And Arbille soon recognised the young boy, for it was His Majesty's grandchild!
"You must be tired after such a long journey, would you like to rest in my quarters?" Arbille proposed to the one who seemed incharge, named Diablo Orsent. "It is quite spacious… hoho."
"We would like to rest there for the night, yes." Diablo replied, "But for now… we have other plans."
"What plans might you have? I, as the administrator of Armashore Port and its surrounding regions, will do my best to help you!"
"Hmm… for now, where is the Avarise Estate?"
…
I was a bit taken aback. Avarise Estate? Rose's home? Why would we go there?
As if expecting my reaction, Diablo turned around and said, "Viscount Kentucky's orders. He said to personally pay the Avarise household a visit to see what's wrong, and inquire about the relevant matters."
Wow. That was… quite late and yet it felt abrupt. It had almost been a month since I had asked him to investigate it, and give me the information if he found any.
I have even brought it up to The King, but… sadly, there wasn't much of a response.
"...So suddenly?"
Diablo didn't say much, only nodding as he inquired the administrator about the trade, economy, and status of the port, asking if there had been any thugs, or people who traded illegal substances to the north.
He also seemed politically well-versed while talking, maybe it was the wind of the north, that one. Staying and surviving in such a place had really made him… what to say, something else? Huh.
I saw that Mumbe Berknalz was also looking around, looking at the houses that almost resembled huts and bamboo houses, with many people collecting the sea water in steel buckets for use.
"...What the heck is this?" I heard her mumble, looking at it incredulously.
The administrator, who had heard, chuckled wryly at that. "Well, since there are big waves coming up sometimes, we don't build grand structures here."
"Besides, the city is still far ahead. This is more of a camp for the military stationed here."
She accepted the explanation with a nod, asking a few more questions.
After talking for a while, we started walking towards the city.
The city had huge walls in front of it, each black and thick. They seemed to be able to resist a tsunami if it erupted.
"Welcome to Armashore Port's City, everyone." Arbille introduced, "Also known as Armashore City in short."
The three of us, excluding the captain of the ship who went off to restock supply, headed towards the Avarise Estate.
It wasn't far off and only took a few minutes to reach.
As we reached the estate, Diablo informed the guards of our visit, and one of the guards hurried off into the estate to call their master.
Looking at the estate, it had a beautiful gate that was attached to two pillars that had lanterns on it, the pillars extending into a wall that enclosed the mansion inside.
Further from the gate was a garden, and a small pool with the sculpture of a man holding a bouquet on it, even further being the white dome shaped mansion.
The guard that had gone to fetch his master soon came along with him, as did the master of the household — Ferora De Arnise.
"Welcome, Young Masters, what might this old man do for you?" The old man, who was presumably in his early fifties or late forties, was sweating buckets as he looked at us.
"We are here under the orders of Viscount Kentucky, as he has already mentioned to you, Sir Ferora." Diablo said, reaching into his coat to take out the agreements.
"Ah, this…"
Diablo took out the agreement — a lengthy paper, and shoved it into his hand.
The man read it with haste, his eyes widening and contrasting at times, his expression all the more vivid as he looked at Evanus' Williams signature at the bottom.
"P-people personally sent by His Majesty? Please come in," The man, who was supposed to be Rose's father, led us in.
Quite the contrast to how his daughter was, I thought.
Just as we were about to enter the estate, though, Mumbe suddenly stopped, frowning.
"This place has a foul odor to it, you guys go in."
Diablo stared at her for a few seconds, and then nodded.
"Let's go,"
Going inside the estate that was visibly grand from every direction, I asked Diablo.
"What does she mean by "foul odor," is anything wrong?"
Diablo shook his head, but I could see his eyebrows creasing ever so slightly.
"Nothing I could sense of," he replied back. "But still be careful."
We soon settled into the living room, and Diablo jumped straight to the matter.
"Has your daughter mentioned the incident to you? Of the Cavern of Black Lilies?"
"No, nothing of sorts." Ferora De Arnise replied hurriedly. "We don't talk often, and she rarely discloses any matter to me, big or small."
Diablo frowned. "And her mother?"
I saw Ferora interlock his fingers and go "hmm…" as he said, "She's upstairs, but I don't recommend that you go see her."
"Why not?"
"Because she has gone mad ever since she gave birth to Rosalyn."
I frowned.
"Maybe she was already mad before, but her madness got especially prominent ever since giving birth to Rosalyn." He said, "and since then… well, since she cannot go outside, she is always confined in her room."
Diablo nodded. "Where is Rosalyn?"
"Ah, she's taking a bath, I will go call her,"
"No need—"
Just then, Rosalyn, her slender figure draped with clothes upon her bathrobe and a towel on her hair, returned.
She looked visibly surprised upon seeing us, but that surprise instantly turned into caution and wariness.
"There you are, my worthless daughter—"
Amidst Ferora's shouts, the darkness in the room suddenly surged, the lamps in the room illuminating it and giving me a better look.
The shadow of mine, Diablo's, Ferora's and Rose's had come alive, instantly lounging at Rose.
Rose, although surprised, recovered quickly as purple light surrounded her, firstly dispersing her own shadow before heading towards us.
Diablo outstretched his hand and suddenly, all the objects possessing a shadow went towards Rose.
As the purple light fended them off as well, two shadows, not belonging to anyone present, extended their hands.
Rose's eyes shone with complex emotions as the purple light slowed down, just enough for one of the two shadows to clench their fists.
Immediately, the purple light surrounding her broke down and scattered into harmless light, the shadows somewhat receding as Diablo stood, his hands behind his back.
"That's a unique authority, Miss Avarise. Something I have never heard of, even."
I saw Rose frown, trying to free herself from the shadows that bound her.
"Now, do you want to resolve this peacefully, or through violence? The choice is yours, but both options are fine for me."
Ferora, who was now freed, went ahead and clutched her clothes collars.
"You imbecile, tell them what you have done!"
As if that was not enough, as if to prove his loyalty, he went forward to squeeze her throat but was stopped by Diablo.
"That's unnecessary, Sir Arnise. We'll handle the matter from here on,"
Ferora nodded, coming back and settling on the couch while grumbling.
"Pick your options," Diablo said to Rosalyn, but she snorted.
"I'd rather take my chances and be in prison,"
"Very well then," Diablo clapped. "Om the accusations of trying to harm the son of the future Queen, and for conducting unknown operations regarding Ancient Stones without the Order of Black Pits' consent, you will be brought to justice."
"If you resist or try to escape, there are abundant priests of Ancient Death we can contact," Diablo warned her as one of the two shadows tried to wrap around her, but before it could do so, points of purple light started to float from her body.
Diablo frowned and extended his fist.
But before he could do anything, the purple lights quickly turned into a small storm as purple inscriptions emerged on Rose's body, the lights quickly surrounding her as they dissipated.
Diablo scowled, submerging the whole room in shadows again before returning it back to normal.
"She really escaped…" He muttered to himself, as if in disbelief. Then, he shook his head, "We will find her anyway," he said as he sent the two shadows — looking at them, one of a female teenager, and the other an old man — after Rose, through some means.
Then, Diablo looked at the doors and said, "Since Mumbe hasn't entered yet, the "foul odor or presence" might either be Ferora De Arnise or his wife, Vidella Avarise."
After a few minutes of preparation that Diablo took, we headed upstairs along with Ferora De Arnise, Rosalyn's father, and arrived before her mother, Vidella Avarise's, room.