The two friends parted ways after they had dinner at Lysander's house, they were so competitive that they competed in almost everything they do. Orion got home safely and went to bed, and he just couldn't wait to see his friend tomorrow and well, his friend also felt the same way.
This was the only thought these two had everytime they had to go to sleep, they just couldn't bear the thought of going a day without one another.
…
The next morning after he had breakfast, Lysander quickly went back to bed. This was how he does things, and Orion will be obliged to come get him. However, this morning was strange. Lysander woke up to the loud sounds coming in from his window, which was facing in the street.
He sat cross-legged, looked out the window to try and see what was going on, but the sight was just unbearable. As he was still locked onto what is going on outside, the door to his house was opened. But his current state of mind didn't allow him to perceive what's going on around him, it's like he was watching a horror movie and he had a front row seat.
The person who kicked open Lysander's door was a man in his late twenties to early thirties, and his face looked like it could use some scratching because of the way his beard looked.
Here's the layout of Lysander's home, immediately upon entering the household through the door that is facing on the street, there's a door on the left of it. And that was Lysander's room.
His parents' room was on the right side, but not anywhere close to the main door or Lysander's room. So when the man entered the house, the only door he was drawn to was the door to Lysander's room. And he opened it.
"Hahahaha, kid. You are coming with me," the man implied.
Now, Lysander's state of mind is not well prepared for the scenery that he is seeing. In other words, Lysander was in his room but in the same time he was not. The man was holding a sword in his hand, and he aimed at Lysander's neck.
SWOOSH! CLANK! CLING!
"You are taking him nowhere old man," Orion stopped the sword just before it hit his friend. He used a very unique weapon, carved using the wood from the hardest tree on the sky. The Tree of Beginnings.
This tree has leafs that are as heavy as a double storey house, and it's wood was not made of wood. Orion could not lift a real sword made from that tree at his current state and shape, no matter how much he likes. So instead, he stopped the sword slash with nothing but a skinny branch from the tree which weighed about 200 kg (0.2 tons).
This Tree is found only in an island where no human can hope to live for even the worms there can bite something harder than steel, but shipwrights & swordsmiths alike risk their lives trying to obtain the branches of this tree. And monsters there are no joke either.
"Who are you brat? And what do you want except for death? Hahahaha," the man implied. "If death is what I'm seeking for, then imagine just how many things I'm willing to give to the others here." Orion replied.
"You stupid punk, my captain is going to be the Crownbearer one day. You better make sure you don't make an enemy out of our crew," the man told Orion with a straight face.
"Ohh, a Crownbearer huh? Not if I can help it." Orion hit the man behind the head with his branch, he got a little dizzy but the man didn't fall. Instead he struck down Orion with his gigantic hands.
The time was only 08:13, Lysander's parents had already gone to town to buy things they needed for their garden. And the house was left in the hands of Lysander.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Lysander looked over his shoulders and saw his friend on the ground, "Orion! You have to get up and get to safety."
THUMP!
Lysander also fell to the ground, "Hahahaha, don't you know that in a real fight you should only be worrried about yourself brat? Uhh, it's not like you can hear me or anything. But I don't really think that the boss will be interested in little brats like yourselves, so I'll just tie you up and get back to doing my job. Hahahahaha," the man claimed in excitement.
His crew's mission was to take all the food and money that the people of this island had, their crew was venturing to search for Elysium's Crown in the Celestial Archipelago. So they had to take all the supplies they can get their hands on, because their journey will take place in an unknown and uncharted territory.
The man took all of the food and money inside Lysander's household, he then left them tied up back to back to head back to his crew's captain.
…
Bloem is a secluded village in the island of Iwahai, this island is ruled by Queen Seraphina, a wise and benevolent leader who has governed since the death of the first ruler of this island over two centuries ago. Her rule is characterized by a deep connection to the island's natural resources and a commitment to the well-being of her people.
The Queen lived in the town in the center of this island, simply so that she can attend to the needs of the other villages at ease. The incident that was taking place in Bloem, she has intel on it already. That's just how resourceful this island is, she had already sent a bit over fifty(50) palace guards to take care of what was going on there. But since they have to go around, even with their fastest airships, it will take them at least an hour before they reach the dock.
…
"Lys! Move you idiot, I'm tryna set us free here." Orion was talking, but his words were falling into the ears of nobody. Lysander was sitting quietly, staring at the floor.
"Ori…" Lysander called his friend's name before looking at the ceiling and crying. "…I'm so glad you came to help me when you did, what's going on out there is very cruel. If my parents hadn't gone to town, who knows what could have happened." After saying that he immediately stopped crying, and the tears disappeared from his face without leaving a trace.
Orion was thrilled to see his friend acting this way, "Hahaha, so you are finally ready for some fun. That sounds really awesome but how do we…" before he could even finish his sentence, the rope they were tied with snapped. "…get out of here? But forget I even mentioned it okay?" Orion started smiling towards his friend.
"I wanna go kick that punk's ass!"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Hold on for just a minute. There are a lot of men out there, I think I counted about 30 to 35 men. But to be on the safe side, we'll have to say… huh?"
CREAK! WHOOSH! THUD!!
"Lys! You idiot," he then began running behind his friend who listened to nothing he has said and ran outside.
…
The situation outside was very bad, the villagers were under attack. The ones who didn't give away their food or money were getting slayed, the ones who agreed to give their food and money…were also getting slayed for the fun of it. This was a rare sight for the villagers of Bloem, this has never happened to them since the village was founded over two centuries ago.
After the group of corsairs took everything they can from this little village, they headed to their captain in the Exchange Circle. It is a mini town-like place in Bloem where some of the things you can find in town are found, but the ones that people need. Something like a circle of supermarkets selling different things, but there's a path passing through. And it's directly in the center of the little village.
The man who went inside Lysander's house was drinking some booze in an ally watching the scene in the middle of the Exchange Circle. There was a man who was 6'4" standing on top of a villager's head, he was lean but muscular, with a commanding presence.
He was wearing a tailored, dark purple coat that flows elegantly to his knees, lined with intricate silver embroidery. Underneath, he sports a fitted black shirt and trousers that allow for fluid movement. His clothing is complemented by silver cufflinks shaped like crescent moons.
"We have ceased everything captain, we can leave if you want," said the man who went into Lysander's home.
"Ohh, Bakken, you're back already. Colour me impressed…" the man smiled, but it simply took a shift when he faced to look at the guy he called Bakken. The smile disappeared, "…but you see, if you colour me, you will be dead. Thathathatha."