The first thing to do when you're in an unfamiliar place is to get a hold of your surroundings and looking around myself I immediately realised that this was in fact, not a ship.
The cabin I was in at the moment had all the elements of a perfectly normal room you'd find in a cruise.
A big bed, a minibar and even a bathroom with a shower.
My heart throbbed with temptation. How long had it been? But the urgency of the situation didn't really give me space to leisurely take a shower.
What timeline am I in?
Searching through the room I found no calendars nor hints, until I opened up the minibar. Inside the fridge I found beers and other soft drinks.
Jackpot.
Produced on XX-XX-2011.
Oh, this is actually my timeline.
Being aware of the time, sounds like a hussle, but knowing what possible weapons I was going against would result in a big advantage on the long run. There was only a problem.
The influence of mana on scientific development.
That could have been a huge problem, but never had I failed a mission, surely I didn't intend to start now, considering that failure could very well mean death.
I lowered my heartbeat and breathing, entering a state of pure stealth I finally took my first step outside of the room. I walked through the hallway, using the shadows as a cloak to better hide myself and slowly but surely made my way into the cruise ship.
Looking for clues on the structure I was trying to infiltrate I found a map to the cafeteria.
Well, it's a start.
A bunch of men in suits were happily sharing a meal and chatting as if nothing could go against them. Unaware of my presence in the creeping darkness, they proceeded their merry conversation.
"The captain said we'll reach the time fissure in 3 days, there also seems to be no other intruder except that Greek bitch. We'll easily achieve our dreams this way!"
"Shhh you never know man, although I must say, poor thing. That woman though she could take us on just because she was good with the sword? In this economy?"
"I know right? She couldn't really do anything against our mana-guns."
Yes, keep spewing informations.
Someone was here before me, and they have mana guns at their disposal.
"Where are they holding her up now?"
What? Wasn't this a solo mission?
"They are keeping her in the boiler room, wounded, but alive. The captain said that since nobody else showed up this must have been a solo mission. So we will not encounter other enemies as long as she's alive."
"Ok ok, she was a cutie, might go for a visit after eating hahahahah."
"Suit yourself we did chain her up with anti-aura cuffs after all."
Fuck, since they have anti-aura equipment, they surely have anti-mana stuff as well. Should I try and save her? But then again… it could compromise my mission to reveal myself…
Just when I was about to turn on my heels I heard 2 sounds I didn't want to hear in this lifetime.
"I'm so gonna destroy her hahahaha!"
[The Tides that shattered the ground offers you a quest.]
Fuck. They are keeping her as a plaything. Fuck fuck fuck, they call themselves human?
[save my prospect champion.]
Of course I'm going to save her! How the fuck am I supposed to live knowing I turned a blind eye to rape of all things.
[reward:-
"Don't you dare Poseidon. You will not attach a price to the wellbeing of your champion."
[The Tides that shattered the ground is looking at you questioning your sanity.]
"I don't give a fuck about what you think of me. No life should have a price. Ever."
[The Tides that shattered the ground nods]
[A divine promise has been made.]
[the saved will decide how to repay and I shall comply within my authority.]
"I can work with that."
Now let's wait and tail.
______________________
After those disgusting creatures finished their meal, my target was happily laughing walking toward my destination saying how physical activity was good for digestion.
My anger was boiling, I was about to snap at any moment and it took all my willpower to stop myself. I needed the monster alive to reach my destination.
Only after a few twists and turns going down a few floors we finally reached the boiler room. One guard alone was standing in front of the door.
"Is she awake? Imma have some fun eheheh!"
"Hahahaha yeah she awake, with all our visits I'm surprised she's still trying to fight us."
A chill run down my spine. How long has she been trapped here? What atrocities would have she suffered? And with what strength was she resisting? My fury reached new peaks. How could such living being exist? Why did they exist?
The guard turned to open the locked door and that was the moment I jumped out of the shadows.
I took out my spear and furiously circulated my mana, I had never tried to cover a weapon with mana, but even if it was only the tip, this was the moment to focus my hardest.
Putting all the mana I could into the spear I took stance.
Dance of Damocles: 1st form, jeté.
The spear was thrown and the guard found his heart pierced by my spear. I continued my dance.
Flowery disperse.
The spear was back in my hands. The other monster turned around pointing a gun at me, but I simply blinked it away and threw my spear once again.
[understanding of the spear art: dance of Damocles, increased]
The two men, lifeless on the ground held shocked expressions. It all happened so fast they couldn't even try to react. I picked up the bodies and threw them into the room, then burned the blood staining the pavement to erase traces.
I entered the room and locked it from the inside, I needed to buy as much time as possible, this door wouldn't do shit, but maybe thinking some disgusting acts were going on, they would not barge in.
I checked the bodies of the creatures.
2 mana guns, a set of keys, 2 daggers and nothing else valuable.
I then turned around to look for my target. A ginger haired girl with eyes as deep as the ocean, fiercely looking at my every action, clearly calculating her future actions as if all the torture she'd been through was nothing to her.
This is terrible.
Blood was splattered all around her, open wounds badly medicated covered her entire body.
I picked up the bodies by their hair and presented them to her.
"I'm sorry I took your revenge. Let me free you."
"Who are you? How do I know you're not the enemy?"
Good girl. Always doubt.
Unknowingly a smile bloomed on my face and the girl was left on a haze.
"My name is Dimitris, Second Commander of Odysseus' regiment. I hail from Itaca."
My word brought some ease to the young lady who noticing my attire and the fact that I spoke Greek just nodded at me. I fiddled with the keys trying to free the captive and after finally succeeding she immediately tried to stand up.
"No young lady, let me heal you first, we'll talk during the process, I think we have some time before needing to move again."
Garden of illusory flowers.
As Avalon opened its gardens to me, a shocked face plastered on the girls face and when she noticed how all her injuries were rapidly healing, tears started to well in her eyes. After all the suffering she was subjected to since entering the time fissure, someone was catering to her needs. Even going as far as asking for forgiveness for he had executed vengeance instead of her. While crying like a broken dam, she finally got enough control over her emotions to talk to me.
"My name is Hali…"
"Well Hali, nice to meet you. Since you are in a little better shape now, what is your quest?"
She hesitated, clearly uncomfortable to explain her situation, so I just took it as a sign of something she couldn't easily share.
"Why don't I tell you mine and then you decide if you want to help out or if you rather find a place to hide until I complete my mission?"
She just nodded.
Damn, am I that untrustworthy?
"I'm to get the fragment and destroy it. Simple as that!"
I flashed a smile and waited for her to weight her options.
"Ok, I will help! What weapon do you use? I didn't see your battle with these… humans."
"No, no! They clearly aren't humans, don't get confused now! Anyway, I'm a mage! Didn't you see those beautiful flowers?"
Looking around herself once again she then connected the dots, and the fact that she was still standing on my spell while being healed finally hit her.
"With that body? You're telling me you are a mage with such a perfect warrior body?"
"Why is everyone's reaction the same?"
Sure I'm good with the spear but I still think my magic is a little better… or at least I hope so…
"Sorry it's just… you seem to be built for combat and your hands are full of callouses…"
Sighting I just shrugged.
"Yeah I'm also a spearman… but as you saw, I use mana. What about you? I heard while tailing those creatures that you're proficient with a sword."
"Yes, but they took my weapon, and they use strange artefacts that launch condensed mana arrows…"
"What about daggers? Do you feel confident in using them?"
"It's vastly different, but better then empty handed…"
I took out the daggers I stole from those things and handed them to her. Then started to think of what to do to get us out of this situation. We needed to get out of here, dispose of the bodies, find a place to organise, and possibly engage in a full war with an unknown number of enemies, with unknown capabilities.
This is gonna be fun.
This was a challenge like none before, not even when acting for my House I'd wage such a war without knowing every single possible variable.
This will be so much fun.
While smiling to myself I noticed Hali starring at me questionably.
"Something wrong young lady?"
"No it's just… you gave me both daggers, what are you going to use?"
"I told you I'm a mage miss. I'll be using their artefacts against them."
It's also been so long since I've been holding a gun, this is exiting.
"I also have my spear always with me."
As I took out my spear, a look of disgust appeared on Hali's face.
"What did you do to reduce Celestial bronze in such a state? Did you never maintain it?"
"Hold your horses, I received it like this from that warholic psychopath of a boar."
Hali's eyes shot open and immediately started looking up as if waiting for divine punishment to befall me. A scene that made me laugh like a kid.
"Hahahaha you waiting for that crazy one to kill me? He won't do nothing, you can ask… I suppose your patron? I don't really give a fuck about any of them."
Hali was completely spellbound, unable to understand what was wrong with me, she finally let go and directly asked what my intentions were.
"I'd also like to slaughter everyone in this ship, if it doesn't compromise your plans of course…"
Deciding on the spot something like this wasn't exactly logical, but once again… they deserved what was coming.
"Do you happen to know their numbers more or less? What about the structure of this ship? Where did you start your quest? Are they all mages or is there some aura user? How strong is you aura?"
"Dimitris sir! Please calm down…"
"We don't have all day young miss, answer my questions please."
"I counted at least 200 people, there is a tower on the deck, I'd assume that's the location of our main target, I started on the deck, I don't know about mages or aura, but those artefacts don't work with the users mana and I'm a rank D aura user…"
"Oohhh you're stronger then me! That's good enough information."
"What do you mean I'm stronger than you? How were you able to save me?!"
"Are you judging your saviour? Tsk. I'm a second circle mage, but I have my ways."
Hali was clearly dejected about my little outburst, but also deeply ashamed. Of course getting to know that she got saved by someone weaker then her was somewhat shameful, but what happened was a fact and there was no way around it after all.
"I'm sorry for doubting you… so what's your plan?"
"Destruction, distraction and deception, easy enough actually. Let's start with putting these bodies into the boilers."
As soon as the bodies were put inside the main boiler my plan started.
I created about 20 fire lilies of destruction and placed them around the boilers, waiting my command to explode.
"Show the way to the deck, don't care about anything and just run as fast as you can."
During our ascent we encountered only a dozen of men who were beheaded or pierced in their heart before they could react to anything. Clearly the surprise factor had outstanding results. We reached the deck unscathed.
On the deck were a pool and the command tower Hali mentioned before.
"Let's go to the prow and hide in between those huge ropes for now."
We reached the prow and while I was focusing on my fire lilies trying to imprint my will through my stigma, Hali decided to ask a question.
"What now?"
"Now I send a distress signal to their captain, and while she's out we infiltrate the tower."
"And how are you gonna do it, you just left a bunch of flower down there, what are they gonna do?!"
"Oh innocent naïve young lady. Remember, in nature the prettier and more colorful something is, the more dangerous."
I snapped my fingers, my will had been imprinted on the flowers and the result were beautiful.
BOOM BOOM KAKAKABOOM BANG!