The storm continued to rage, the waves slamming against the ship as if trying to break it apart. Lieutenant Adrian Nicolas gripped his sword tightly, watching the Red Witch as she floated above the sea, her crimson aura glowing ominously in the darkness. Her presence seemed to still the chaos, bending the storm to her will.
The crew scrambled to maintain control of the ship, but Adrian knew their fight wasn't against the storm—it was against her.
"Prepare for battle!" Adrian's voice cut through the howling wind. His crew hesitated, their fear palpable as they stared at the Witch in Red.
The Red Witch gazed down at Adrian, her voice carrying a haunting echo as she spoke. "You dare challenge the sea with your steel? Foolish mortal, you cannot comprehend the power you face."
Adrian gritted his teeth. "We've come too far to turn back now. If you stand in our way, we'll fight."
The Red Witch raised her hand, and the air crackled with dark energy and casted.
"Umbral Surge Maxima"
A blast of crimson light surged toward the ship, shattering parts of the deck. Men screamed as they were thrown from their feet, but Adrian held his ground, shielding his face from the splinters of wood and debris.
Beside him, the first mate, Darrick, staggered to his feet, his eyes wide with panic. "Lieutenant, how are we supposed to fight against something like that?"
"We hold the line," Adrian replied firmly, stepping forward with his sword raised. "We fight with everything we've got. This ship isn't going down without a fight."
The Red Witch's eyes gleamed with malice. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a vortex of crimson energy that surged towards Adrian. He slashed at the magic with his sword, but it merely deflected, swirling around him with a chilling hum.
Lieutenant Adrian stood firm, watching as the Red Witch floated above the deck, her crimson aura swirling around her like a living storm. Her eyes burned with a strange, almost ancient power.
But something far worse was about to emerge.
The Red Witch raised her hand, and the sea churned violently in response. The waters parted, revealing the wrecked form of a massive ship rising from the depths. Its hull was shattered and decayed, covered in barnacles and seaweed, but it still bore the unmistakable outline of an infamous vessel.
Loden gasped in horror, his eyes wide as he stumbled back. "That… that can't be. It's the Lion's Fang!"
Adrian turned sharply. "The Lion's Fang? The legendary pirate ship?"
Loden's voice was shaky, filled with disbelief. "The Lion's Fang… it's one of the most legendary pirate ships in history. Lost centuries ago, swallowed by the Dark Sea. How… how is it here?"
The ship groaned as it rose fully above the surface, and with it came its crew—spectral figures, just like the ghostly pirates that had attacked earlier, but these ones were different. They wore the tattered remains of what was once a grand fleet, their eyes glowing with eerie, hollow light.
"The crew of the Lion's Fang," Loden whispered, stepping back in fear. "They were said to have been consumed by the sea itself, doomed to sail its dark waters for eternity."
Adrian felt the weight of the revelation sink in. The Red Witch had not just summoned spirits—she had called forth the damned souls of one of the most feared pirate crews in history. They were now under her command.
The Red Witch's voice cut through the storm, cold and detached. "You stand before the power of the sea, Lieutenant. You and your men are no different from those who came before. You will be lost, like them."
Adrian's grip on his sword tightened as he looked up at her. "Who are you? What's your real name? And why are you doing this?"
The Red Witch's expression softened for just a moment, but her answer was as empty as the sea around them. "I don't remember. I don't remember anything… only the darkness."
Her words hung in the air like a curse, the sorrow of her existence seeping into the storm. It was as if she herself was a prisoner, bound by the same forces that controlled the sea.
Adrian narrowed his eyes, undeterred. "If you don't remember, then why fight? Why doom us all?"
The Red Witch's gaze hardened once again. "Because the sea demands it. And I am its will."
Without warning, she raised her hand again, and the spectral pirates of the Lion's Fang lunged forward with supernatural speed. Adrian's crew fought back valiantly, but the undead pirates were relentless, their ghostly forms slipping through blades and reappearing behind the living men.
Adrian knew they couldn't hold on much longer. His only hope was to take down the Witch herself. His stance shifted, and he called out to his men, his voice filled with determination. "Hold the line! This ends with her!"
With a surge of energy, Adrian charged toward the Red Witch, his sword drawn and ready. He moved with precision, each step calculated, as he prepared to engage her directly. The air around him crackled with tension, and the storm seemed to grow fiercer as he approached.
The Red Witch watched him with cold amusement, her crimson aura flaring. "Do you really think you can face me, mortal? You wield nothing but steel, while I command the sea itself."
Adrian ignored her taunts, focusing on his technique. He lowered his sword, bringing it into a ready position. "We'll see about that."
With a swift motion, he unleashed the Water Dragon Style—a series of sword strikes so fluid and precise that they mimicked the flow of water itself. His blade moved like the current of a river, each slash cutting through the air with grace and speed.
But just as he lunged forward, his sword aimed directly at her, the Red Witch's expression shifted. She raised her hand and whispered a single word: "White Room."
The world around Adrian shifted in an instant.
He was no longer on the deck of his ship. Instead, he stood in a vast, empty space—completely white, without form or substance. Time seemed to stand still, and the air was thick with an otherworldly silence.
"What… what is this place?" Adrian muttered, his grip on his sword tightening as he turned, searching for the Red Witch.
The Red Witch's eyes widened in surprise as she watched his movements. "The Water Dragon Style? How can this be? That technique was lost to time…"
Adrian didn't respond. He pressed the attack, his sword flashing in arcs of light as he closed the distance between them. The Water Dragon Style allowed him to move with the unpredictable grace of the sea, and for a moment, it seemed like he might break through her defenses.
But just as he lunged forward, his sword aimed directly at her, the Red Witch's expression shifted. She raised her hand and whispered a single word: "White Room."
The world around Adrian shifted in an instant.
Adrian felt the world around him dissolve as the Red Witch's spell took hold. The familiar sights of the storm-tossed ship and the spectral crew faded away, replaced by an eerie silence. He found himself standing in an endless, empty expanse—everything was blindingly white, without a single landmark to ground him.
His sword still felt heavy in his hand, but there was no enemy in sight. Just the oppressive void.
Then, he saw her.
In the center of the endless whiteness, a figure sat slumped on the ground—chained. The woman's wrists and ankles were bound by heavy iron shackles that glowed faintly with an ominous light. Her hair cascaded around her face in dark waves, and her body seemed frail, drained of vitality. But despite her weakened state, there was something undeniably powerful about her.
Adrian approached cautiously, his mind racing with questions. "Who… who are you?"
The woman slowly lifted her head, and her gaze met his. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, and she struggled to speak. "I… am Violet."
Adrian froze. The name struck him like a lightning bolt. Violet—the greatest magician, researcher, and master of all magic in Arithea. Legends told of her power, her wisdom, and the mysteries she had unlocked about the world. But no one had seen or heard of her in centuries.
"You… you're the Violet? The legendary magician?" Adrian asked, disbelief coloring his voice.
Violet nodded weakly. "Yes… but I am not who I once was."
Adrian stared at her, the pieces slowly falling into place. The woman before him was no ordinary captive—this was the true identity of the Red Witch. The realization hit him like a crashing wave. "Then, the Red Witch we're fighting… is that also you?"
Violet's expression darkened. "What you face now is but a fragment of my power. She is… only a shadow of who I truly am. Weaker than me by 90%."
Adrian's mind raced as he tried to make sense of it all. "If she's only a fraction of your power, why is she still so dangerous? What happened to you?"
Violet's gaze shifted to the chains binding her. "The Dark Sea cursed me… and trapped me within this prison. The Witch in Red is the embodiment of that curse, a mere reflection of the darkness that now controls me. But there's a way to break it."
Adrian stepped closer, intrigued and desperate for answers. "How? How do I break this curse?"
Violet slowly lifted her hand to her chest, where a faint, glowing stone pulsed just beneath her skin. "This stone… you see it right? it is the heart of the curse. Only one who wields the Dragon Style swordsmanship can sever it from me."
Adrian stared at the glowing stone, its light dim yet menacing. "You want me to cut it?"
"Yes," Violet whispered. "Strike the stone with your sword. It is the key to breaking my chains and the curse of the Dark Sea. But know this: doing so will free both of us—and the sea will reclaim what it lost."
Adrian tightened his grip on his sword, his thoughts swirling. "Why me? Why should I trust you?"
Violet's gaze softened. "I can't offer you promises, only the truth. I was once like you—someone who sought to protect, someone who thought they could master the sea. But I was wrong. Break my curse, and I will explain everything after… when I am free."
Adrian hesitated, unsure. He didn't trust easily, and Violet's cryptic words weren't enough to convince him fully. But he also knew that if he didn't act, his crew—and perhaps his entire world—would be consumed by the same darkness that had claimed her.
"I'll hold you to that," he said firmly.
Violet closed her eyes. "Do it. Strike now, while you still can. I will return you to reality before the other me goes on rampage."
The blinding whiteness dissolved, and Adrian felt the cold sea air rush back into his lungs. He blinked, finding himself once more on the deck of the ship, with the raging storm and the ominous presence of the Red Witch looming before him. But something had changed.
The blinding whiteness dissolved, and Adrian felt the cold sea air rush back into his lungs. He blinked, finding himself once more on the deck of the ship, with the raging storm and the ominous presence of the Red Witch looming before him. But something had changed.
In the midst of the chaos, where despair had once gripped his heart, a glimmer of hope now flickered within him. The words of Violet echoed in his mind, her voice clear and steady amidst the howling winds. He had seen her, the real Violet, chained and trapped beneath layers of dark magic. She had given him a way forward, a path to break the curse that had haunted them all. The weight on his shoulders no longer felt crushing; instead, it fueled his resolve.
The Red Witch stood frozen, her crimson eyes narrowing with confusion as she stared at Adrian. "What... what did you just do?" Her voice, usually cold and commanding, now carried a trace of bewilderment. "How did you break my spell?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately. His mind still reeled from the encounter with Violet—the true Violet—inside the spell. He gripped his sword tightly, feeling the weight of his newfound purpose. The realization of what he needed to do surged through him like a powerful wave.
"What's wrong, Witch? You look surprised," Adrian said, his tone challenging. "Didn't expect your own magic to betray you?"
The Red Witch's lips curled into a snarl, but her unease was evident. "You're different… something has changed."
The Red Witch's lips curled into a snarl, but her unease was evident. "You're different… something has changed."
Adrian met her gaze, his expression calm but unwavering. "I've seen the truth," he said, his voice steady despite the storm raging around them. "You're not the power you pretend to be. You're just a shadow of something much greater." He lifted his sword, the edge gleaming in the flashes of lightning. "And I'm going to end this—once and for all."
She stepped forward, her eyes burning crimson. "Whatever lies you think you've uncovered, they won't save you. The sea has already claimed you, and no mortal can escape its grip." A wicked smile crept across her face. "You'll drown like the rest, screaming for salvation that will never come."
Adrian turned toward his crew, who were scattered across the deck, recovering from the chaos. "Are you all alright?" he called out, his voice firm despite the storm raging around them.
Darrick, clutching the ship's railing, was the first to respond. "Alive and kicking, Lieutenant!" he shouted, managing a grin despite the situation. "We're tougher than we look."
Loden, still pale from the sight of the Witch, raised a trembling hand. "I think my legs have decided to stop working, but otherwise… fine!" he said, eliciting a round of chuckles from the nearby crew members.
"Good to hear," Adrian muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Their banter, though light, lifted the weight of the moment, giving him the resolve he needed.
He took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs as the world seemed to slow around him. The sea roared, the storm raged, but all Adrian could hear was the steady beat of his heart. He closed his eyes, focusing on the rhythm, and when he opened them again, his entire being was centered on one target: the glowing stone on the Red Witch's chest.
The mist began to swirl around Adrian's body, spiraling upwards as if the very air was responding to his presence. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, and his movements became fluid, like water flowing through the air.
"Water Dragon Style," he whispered to himself, feeling the energy surge through him. His stance shifted, his body lowering into a poised, predatory position.
The mist thickened, coiling around him like a protective shroud. "10th Form," Adrian announced, his voice calm but filled with deadly intent. "Crashing Dragon Wave."
In an instant, Adrian launched himself forward with a speed that left the crew in awe. He moved with the grace and power of a dragon surging through the water, his sword cutting through the mist like a razor through silk. The Red Witch's eyes widened as Adrian closed the distance between them, faster than she could react.
His blade, glowing with the force of his technique, aimed directly for the stone embedded in her chest—the key to breaking her curse.
The Red Witch staggered, her once formidable presence fading as the shattered remnants of the stone glowed faintly in the stormy darkness. She clutched her chest where the stone had been, her breaths shallow and labored. Her crimson eyes, now dimming, flickered with a mix of anger, regret, and something Adrian hadn't expected—relief.
"You… surprised me," she rasped, her voice strained but no longer filled with malice. "I never thought… you'd be the one to break my curse." She paused, her gaze softening. "I failed... I couldn't conquer Violet's soul. I thought I had it all under control, but she was too powerful. And you..." She let out a weak, bitter laugh. "You caught me off guard… with your speed, your resolve."
Adrian stood still, his sword lowered, watching as the darkness that once shrouded her form began to unravel like threads in the wind.
"I was only lucky," Adrian replied quietly, his gaze unwavering. "The soul sealed inside you—Violet—betrayed you. She showed me the truth and gave me the chance to strike. Without her, I would've been just another lost sailor in this cursed sea."
The Red Witch looked up at him, her face pale but no longer twisted in rage. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the dying storm. "For saving my soul… for freeing me from this curse." Her eyes flickered one last time, the weight of centuries of torment lifting as her body weakened.
"One piece of advice, swordsman," she said, her words growing fainter. "Never underestimate the forces that bind this world. Violet… has a unfinished battle, involving yourself to her.... means....you're ally with her. So be prepared." She gave him a final, knowing look before her eyes fluttered shut, her body collapsing gently to the deck as she passed out, her form dissolving into mist.
After the Red Witch vanished, the air around Adrian stilled. For a moment, there was only silence, the storm retreating as if it had never existed. But then, from the dissipating mist, the body stirred once more.
Adrian tensed, unsure of what was happening. Slowly, the figure before him began to take shape—no longer the terrifying specter of the Red Witch, but something different. The form shifted, the dark magic that once consumed her fading, revealing the human underneath.
Violet.
Her once vibrant skin was still marred in places, patches of her arms and legs remaining a dull, ghostly gray, like the color of the lost sailors damned to the Dark Sea. Her eyes, though still tired, no longer glowed with the menacing red but with a faint hue of violet.
She blinked, her gaze searching the deck in confusion before settling on Adrian. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of what had just happened hanging in the air between them.
Adrian lowered his sword, his heart still racing. "You're… Violet?" he asked cautiously, watching her closely.
She nodded slowly, trying to sit up, her voice weak but steady. "Yes… or at least, what's left of her." She looked down at her gray patches, frowning. "I was close to losing myself completely. But you… you saved me."
Adrian took a deep breath, unsure how to respond, still processing the fact that the witch he fought and the woman before him were one and the same. "I did what I had to do," he replied, his voice quieter now. "But you're not free yet. There's still a part of the curse that lingers." He nodded toward the gray that still marked her.
Violet looked at him with tired but grateful eyes. "It will take time to fully rid myself of this darkness," she admitted, "but I owe you my life. For breaking the curse… and for giving me a chance to reclaim who I once was."
Loden's voice cut through the tense atmosphere as he shouted over the storm's dying echoes, "We're still in the Dark Sea, Captain! We can't track our location."
The crew, still reeling from the recent battle, began to crack jokes to lighten the mood. "Looks like we'll have to build an island here," one of them said with a chuckle, while another added, "Maybe we could start a new life—call it 'Lost Sailor's Isle'!"
Violet, despite her exhaustion, let out a weak laugh. "In the Dark Sea?" she said, shaking her head. "Everything here gets consumed. There's no hope for islands or havens."
Adrian, puzzled and scanning the horizon, furrowed his brow. "We need to find a way back to the Samarian Sea. There must be something we can do."
Violet, catching her breath, managed a faint smile. "I can help," she offered. "I can cast a Teleportation Portal to get us back, but…" She paused, her face paling. "I might faint. My mana isn't fully recovered yet."
Adrian nodded, relieved but concerned. "Do what you can. We need to get out of here."
With a determined look, Violet raised her hands, her fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air. The magic crackled and sizzled, sending arcs of luminous energy cascading from her palms. A soft hum filled the air as she chanted, her voice steady and commanding:
"By the light of the stars, through the veil of the night,
Open the path, bring forth the gateway of light!"
The incantation echoed over the storm-tossed deck, growing louder with each word. A shimmering portal began to form, its edges rippling like liquid silver. The swirling gateway of light expanded, bathing the crew in a warm, golden glow that contrasted sharply with the dark, turbulent sea around them. The portal's brilliance intensified, casting long shadows and illuminating the crew's faces with a mix of awe and hope.
As the last of the portal's magic flared and its shimmering light began to wane, Violet's strength finally gave out. With a soft, exhausted sigh, she collapsed onto the deck, her body going limp. The portal's radiant glow diminished to a faint shimmer before vanishing completely, leaving only the cold, salty breeze of the Samarian Sea in its wake.
The crew stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief. They looked around, taking in the familiar sights of their own sea, the storm now reduced to a gentle swaying of the ship rather than the chaotic tempest they had just escaped. Whispers began to ripple through them, a murmur of awe and relief.
"Are we… are we really back?" one crew member asked, his voice trembling with disbelief.
"It can't be! Look at the horizon!" another shouted, pointing at the now calm and familiar waters.
"By the gods, she did it! We're in the Samarian Sea!" someone else exclaimed, the tension of their ordeal melting into joyous relief.
The crew exchanged incredulous looks, their spirits lifting as they realized the truth of their situation. Their shouts of relief and excitement mingled with the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull. Amidst the jubilation, Adrian's gaze remained fixed on Violet, who lay unconscious on the deck.
"Violet…" Adrian murmured, his voice filled with concern as he moved to her side. He knelt beside her, checking her pulse and ensuring she was safe, even as the crew's jubilant cries of triumph continued to echo around them.
Adrian, seeing the portal's success, looked up at the sky, a mix of relief and exhaustion in his eyes. "What a crazy expedition," he murmured, his voice filled with both wonder and fatigue.