Chapter 25
Dance of the Sky and Myth (Part 2)
"Young Commander!"
The urgent voice of an Orcan soldier echoed down the pristine halls of the General's Tower. The air was usually calm here, heavy with the solemnity of military order, but now it crackled with unease.
Pergus, the Orcan soldier, strode forward with hurried steps, his polished boots thudding against the marble floor. At the end of the corridor was the door to the highest office in the highest tower— the Marx Ellum Dienze's domain.
He stopped at the desk of Kyline, the Commander's lone assistant. The woman barely looked up from her meticulous paperwork, her expression unimpressed.
"Where is the Young Commander?" Pergus asked, his tone low but insistent.
Kyline sighed and adjusted her glasses, not bothering to hide her irritation. "Mael's busy. Paperwork. Which means you're supposed to—"
Before she could finish, Pergus moved to the massive oak door beside her desk, shoving it open without preamble.
"Commander! The Winter Whale has resurfaced—"
He froze mid-sentence.
The man at the center of the room turned his head slightly, his piercing blue eyes locking onto the intruder. Beneath a cascade of tousled black hair, those eyes glinted like sharp-edged steel, their weight enough to stop anyone in their tracks.
"Quietly, Pergus."
The command was soft but carried the authority of a tidal wave.
Pergus swallowed hard. "...Yes, Commander."
It must be the migraines again... the Orc pitied his boss.
He took a cautious step forward, lowering his voice. "The Winter Whale has resurfaced, sir."
"Yes, I gathered that much from outside the door," Marx Ellum Dienze, or commonly known as Mael by his closest, replied, his tone clipped and even. He leaned over his desk, pen still poised above a sheet of military documents. The faintest crease formed between his brows. "Continue."
"It's been sighted near Neyla," Pergus said, smoothing his tone to match the Commander's calm demeanor. "And, sir... your father's vacation site is in Neyla."
The pen stilled.
For a brief moment, Mael's expression froze, his features caught between frustration and realization. His sharp eyes softened, rounding in surprise. "Father is there?"
From outside the room, there was a sudden crash, followed by a muttered curse.
"Oh, shit," Kyline blurted, her voice muffled by the thick door. She abandoned her desk in a scramble, footsteps fading as she ran off somewhere.
Mael's gaze flickered toward the disturbance but quickly returned to Pergus. The soldier gave a quiet nod.
"I see," Mael murmured. His voice regained its steadiness, though a faint current of concern lingered.
With practiced ease, he rose from his chair, his movements unhurried but purposeful. Just as he stepped away from his desk, Kyline returned, clutching a hooded black cloak.
"Your travel wear, sir," she said, slightly out of breath, her composure not entirely restored.
Mael smiled faintly, a rare warmth softening his otherwise serious demeanor. "Thank you, Kyline."
Taking the cloak, he draped it over his shoulders, the heavy fabric settling perfectly over his streamlined uniform. Its dull black contrasted with his sharp blue eyes, making his figure stand out like a blade against shadow.
He turned back to Pergus. "I'll return as soon as I can. In the meantime, keep me updated through the usual channels."
Without another word, Mael strode to the large, floor-to-ceiling window that dominated one side of his office. The glass reflected the faint glow of city lights below, the world sprawling beneath the towering heights of the General's Tower.
He stepped onto the windowsill.
"Commander, wait—!" Pergus started, but it was too late.
Mael leaped.
The rush of wind filled the room as he activated [Levitation Magic], his descent smooth and controlled. His black cloak billowed behind him like a shadow unfurling against the night sky.
Kyline watched him disappear into the distance, her eyes sharp and calculating. "He didn't even ask how he was going to get there," she muttered, half-amused.
Pergus sighed, his tusks shifting as he frowned. "When it comes to his father, the Young Commander never hesitates."
However, the assistant wasn't bothered with that.
Her boss, despite his calm and meticulous looks, was a scatterbrain who have been directionally challenged all his life. As one of the few people who knew that, Kyline sluggishly walked over to her desk after kicking out the orcan soldier.
She pushed her work aside and pulled out a glistening paper, its beautiful glow was purple, akin to stardust. Her handwriting was elegant involving delicatet soft strokes, but the message was crudely easy to interpret.
[ 1. Go from here to Norkif.
2. Ride a ferry to Efascht.
3. Follow the compass, it will lead you to your father's cabin. ]
"[Compass]." A circular device made of mana, one of Kyline's special unique magic, manifested and attached itself on the parchment.
"Deliver yourself to Yena Laoischt of the [Watchdogs]."
The paper disappeared after it reviewed its rightful destination.
With the extra work over, scattered papers due to the short commotion flew back on its rightful desks... to her's.
Even those that was originally on Mael's desk flew to her.
"Time to burn the midnight oil again..." she sighed, her honey eyes was stinging of unshed tears.
Meanwhile, in the distant land of the Winshen Continent specifically in the winterland Neyla, after Thermes disappeared... Not only was the audience confused, but the mythical beast too.
The Winter Whale loomed above the surface for a moment, its massive form silhouetted against the stormy sky.
Its red eyes glinted with cautious intelligence as it scanned the ocean.
Then, with a mighty exhale that sent jets of mist spiraling into the air, it plunged back into the depths.
Water surged upward like a geyser as its enormous body vanished beneath the waves, the reverberations echoing across the battlefield.
The creature swam in slow, deliberate circles around the area where Thermes had disappeared.
Its movements were calculated, as if wary of an ambush. Each shift of its massive fins churned the icy water into violent eddies.
But as seconds turned to a tense minute and no opponent emerged, the Winter Whale stopped.
Its colossal form floated just beneath the surface, its red eyes narrowing. Then, it let out a deafening roar that rolled through the sea like thunder, vibrating the icy platforms and shaking even those watching from the island.
The beast's cry wasn't one of victory— it was a challenge.
A call for its fallen adversary to rise again.
Deep beneath the ocean...
Thermes stirred.
The cold crushing weight of the water pressed against him, numbing his senses.
His body felt sluggish and his mind fogged as though caught in a dream.
The roar reached him even in the depths, muffled but powerful, vibrating through the water and into his chest.
His eyes fluttered open, glowing faintly in the pitch-black abyss.
"Ugh... that... damn thing," he muttered, his voice a mere bubble that dissipated in the endless blue.
As consciousness returned, he realized his predicament.
He was deep underwater, surrounded by an oppressive darkness. The surface was indiscernible from the ocean floor, and the twisting currents made it impossible to determine which way was up.
His legs were still bound, the black tentacle coiled around them.
But as he shifted, he noticed something strange, the grip wasn't as tight as before. The magic behind it seemed to have weakened, the tentacle pulsing faintly as if its energy was fading.
Thermes gritted his teeth.
He really was a traitor... The old man was finally convinced. I have to tell her after this.
There was an information he didn't share from the others since the start of the training.
He thought that there must've been a different reason but he couldn't give that being another chance.
I almost lost my life after all...
Though he thought this way, he knew that the simple ocean couldn't kill him easily.
Gathering his focus, he willed his body to move. Despite the numbing cold and the disorientation, he felt his strength returning. The faint glow in his eyes intensified, his magic responding to his determination.
His [Water Magic] aided him from discontinuing his descent and formed a bubble around him, his [Air Magic] pushed the water out of the bubble and he was able to breathe properly.
But it wasn't for long.
Thermes' blue eyes turned colder, manifesting one of his unique spells.
[Hunt].
It was a spell that helped him search for strong beings in the area as well as give basic details about them like their species type, name, age, weight and height.
This was the reason he could hunt down mythical beings easily.
In his youth where everywhere was a lifeless battlefield, he earned this magic as an inexperienced tribal chief. He knew that challenging the strongest and scaring the weaker men was the best solution, one he learnt from his father.
And the outcome was always the same.
Even in the war against the Demon King, that principle was the same.
"Ugh..." He groaned, remembering all of his fallen comrades always made him sick.
His [Hunt] caught his attention.
In a matter of half a second he was able to locate two: the Winter Whale and Eliron, the young dragon.
"Master!" Dynil shouted, his voice cracking with desperation.
He paced along the edge of the icy shore, his hands trembling as he clenched and unclenched his fists. His gaze darted over the churning waves, searching in vain for a sign of Thermes.
Every second that passed felt like an eternity.
The mythical beast loomed in the distance, its massive form slicing through the water with terrifying grace. Dynil knew better than to dive into the ocean, it would only draw the creature's attention, and he'd be dead before he could act.
He gritted his teeth, his resolve wavering. Forget trying to protect the children... What can I even do right now?
"Perla!" he barked, his voice sharp in urgency. "Use your search magic! Find him!"
Perla flinched at the command, her small hands clutching the hem of her tunic. "Huh? O-okay..."
The girl took a shaky breath and stretched her hands out, her purple mana rippling outward like waves over the icy terrain. She steadied herself, her little feet taking slow steps toward the edge of the shoreline, where Thermes had vanished.
The mana stretched far but wavered, flickering weakly. The distance was too great.
"I-I can't reach him!" Perla cried, her voice trembling as tears brimmed in her eyes.
Dynil's knees buckled as he fell to the ground, his hands digging into the frost-covered earth. "No... Master..." His voice was barely a whisper, and his head hung low as hopelessness threatened to consume him.
Royce and Eliron exchanged a glance before stepping forward, each placing a hand on Dynil's shoulder.
"Get up," Royce said firmly but not unkindly, his grip steady.
"Panicking won't help him," Eliron added, his voice softer. "We'll figure this out."
Dynil looked at the two young boys, their calm determination grounding him. He exhaled shakily, nodding as they gently helped him to his feet.
Though the two boys looked like they wanted to help him, it was more so to distance the sentry chief from Perla.
Their eyes following the back of the blonde-girl.
Nameless walked past the group, her expression unreadable. She approached Perla, her steps deliberate, her presence quiet yet commanding.
The girl turned her tear-streaked face toward Nameless, her lip quivering. "I-I tried, but it's too far..."
Nameless crouched down to Perla's height, her voice a soothing whisper. "It's okay, Perla. You're doing fine. Don't panic. You don't have to find everything—just a trace. Even the faintest flicker of magic is enough."
She placed a hand gently on Perla's shoulder.
The touch was brief, but golden light flared in the air, weaving into Perla's purple mana like threads of sunlight. The purple magic stabilized, growing brighter and stronger as if Nameless had unlocked an unseen potential within the girl.
Nameless smiled warmly. "I'm right here. Let your magic flow."
Perla's eyes widened in awe as the enhanced mana pulsed outward, spreading farther and faster than before. After a moment, the girl gasped.
"I-I sense it! Magic— it's moving up fast!"
The group snapped to attention, hope flickering in their eyes. Dynil stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Perla as if her words were a lifeline.
"Is it him?" Dynil asked, his voice trembling.
Perla nodded, her expression resolute now. "It's him! It has to be!"
Before anyone could react, the sea erupted in a violent explosion. A towering column of water shot upward, ice shards glinting like shattered glass in the dim light.
"Look!" Royce shouted, pointing toward the chaos.
The ocean seemed to split, revealing a lone figure surging upward within the cascading waves.
Thermes.
His sand-wrapped arms gleamed, glowing faintly as he tore through the torrent. Water streamed from his form, catching the faint light of the horizon, making him look like a vengeful spirit rising from the depths.
The Winter Whale roared, its ancient call echoing across the battlefield. The beast swung its massive head, trying to intercept the warrior's ascent.
But Thermes moved with impossible speed, his glowing legs propelling him upward and out of the beast's reach.
The group stood in stunned silence, their hearts pounding.
Thermes hovered briefly above the battlefield, his silhouette framed by the last remnants of the spray. His piercing gaze locked onto the Winter Whale as a smirk curved his lips.
"Did you miss me?" he muttered, his voice low but carried by the magic swirling around him.
The Winter Whale bellowed in fury, the sound reverberating through the air.