The ocean wind howled fiercely, billowing the white sails bearing the emblem of a seagull that fluttered defying the sky. Under the expanse of that giant canvas, a medium-sized sailboat shot through the waves of the southern sea at a speed illogical for a conventional ship.
That ship was the Star of Melen, the fastest fleet belonging to the Sea God of Melen, specially lent for this mission. However, it wasn't the ship's design that made it speed like lightning, but the two Elf girls standing near the mainmast.
Dina and Vena closed their eyes, their hands elegantly outstretched toward the sails. The turquoise-green glow from the Anemo-Calyx emitted pure wind elements that pushed the ship relentlessly, manipulating the air currents in such a way that there was no significant resistance.
Four days had passed since they left the port of Melen. The journey across the vast ocean to Dizara on a fast ship, which usually took two weeks, was successfully cut down drastically by the speed of the wind element.
On the ship's bow, Venti sat cross-legged on the wooden guardrail, letting the sea spray wet the tips of his boots. He played his lyre with a slow rhythm, aligning its notes with the crashing of the waves.
"We have entered the borders of the southern waters, Lord Venti," reported Hedin Selland, stepping closer to the bow. The former White Elf King remained in his neat and elegant clothes, completely unaffected by the sea humidity. "Based on the navigation map, we will soon see the outermost island cluster of the Island Nation of Dizara."
Hogni Ragnar, who was holding his pitch-black sword on top of a wooden barrel not far from them, raised his face covered by his bangs. "Uuu... the seawater here tastes different. A bit... dead."
Venti stopped plucking his lyre and stood on the wooden railing. His teal eyes looked straight toward the horizon.
Sure enough, from behind the thin mist of the southern sea, the silhouette of an island cluster began to appear. However, the sight was far from majestic. Several white stone islands on the outskirts appeared half-submerged, eroded by the fierce waves. The ancient buildings standing on them had been abandoned, leaving behind pathetic marble ruins.
"The death of the Leviathan by the Hera Familia truly uprooted the life of this country," murmured Venti softly. "That monster's shell is their foundation. Without a new shell, these islands are slowly crumbling, swallowed by the sea."
"If our goal is to stop the extraction of the Leviathan's energy on Cetus Island, that island is at the northwestern tip of this cluster," Hedin opened his map scroll, pointing to an isolated spot. "We can turn the helm now and arrive there before nightfall. Will we infiltrate the Castle directly?"
Venti fell silent for a moment. The sea breeze swept his hair as he stared at the remnants of Dizara's grandeur.
"No, Hedin," said Venti, turning his body and jumping down to the deck. "We will not go directly to Cetus."
Hedin raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "Then, where will we dock?"
"We head to the main capital of Dizara," answered Venti with a mysterious smile laden with calculation. "There is etiquette we must follow. Before we break into someone's house and kick out the uninvited guests inside, we must greet the landlord first."
"Greet... you mean, we will meet God Nereus?" asked Dina, who had just finished her turn manipulating the wind with Vena.
"Exactly," Venti nodded firmly. "Storming Cetus and capturing Altena mages without notice will only result in the Barbatos Familia being branded as conducting an illegal invasion into Dizara territory. But... if the protector god of this country himself gives us permission..."
Hedin's eyes flashed behind his glasses, instantly understanding his god's diplomatic strategy. "A perfect casus belli. If God Nereus gives his blessing, then the capture operation we will conduct in Cetus is a legal act of liberation. You are looking for political justification to avoid trouble with the Guild."
"Ehe! You are always quick to catch on, Hedin!" Venti winked one eye. "Steer the helm to the main island. We will make a god-to-god visit."
The capital of Dizara was located on the largest island in the middle of the cluster. Unlike the sinking outer islands, this capital was still standing. However, the atmosphere in its city streets felt very tense.
Venti did not dock his ship at the heavily guarded main port. Under his instructions, Dina and Vena used wind manipulation to refract the light around the ship, making the Star of Melen slip unseen into a hidden cove on the cliff behind the Nereus Familia Headquarters.
The headquarters was built jutting out toward the sea, made of stunning blue marble. But strangely, the residence of the country's protector god was actually guarded by several mages in foreign magic cloaks.
"They are not local guards," observed Hogni from behind the coral rocks. "The pattern of their cloaks and magic wands... that's typical of Altena."
"It seems there is a hijacking of power inside this god's house," whispered Venti casually. "Hedin, Hogni. Make them sleep. Don't make a big commotion."
In the blink of an eye, Hedin and Hogni darted. Soundlessly, dim flashes of lightning and strikes from sword hilts incapacitated a dozen elite Altena mages guarding the back door of the headquarters in a matter of seconds.
Venti stepped inside casually, followed by Dina and Vena. The inside of the headquarters was very spacious, decorated with freshwater pools and shell ornaments. In the middle of the main room, on a large chair, sat a heavily bearded man who looked old and tired.
It was Nereus, the Sea God Protector of Dizara.
However, the god could not move freely. A transparent magic dome emitting a purple glow confined him to the chair. It was a high-level isolation barrier.
Hearing footsteps, Nereus lifted his face. His dim eyes widened seeing the figure of the young man in the green cloak and his four guards who had managed to enter his room.
"Who are you?!" Nereus's voice echoed, hoarse and full of vigilance. "Are you Altena mages sent to force me to agree to this madness?!"
Venti walked closer to the transparent dome, crossing his arms behind his head.
"I'm not from Altena," Venti smiled friendly. "I'm just a wanderer stopping by to ask for directions."
Venti turned to Hedin and gave a small signal through his gaze. The former White Elf king nodded in understanding. Hedin stepped forward, placing his white-gloved hand on the surface of the magic dome, which was said to be able to withstand high-level magic attacks.
The Ego-Calyx on Hedin's chest glowed for a moment. Pure, compressed Electro current was channeled directly into the weak point of the magic structure.
CRASH!
The barrier shattered to pieces like thin glass, vanishing into dust particles.
Nereus jumped from his chair, his eyes widening in disbelief seeing a human destroy a high-level seal without chanting a single spell. He then shifted his gaze to Venti. Even though his form was that of a petite young man, Nereus's divine instinct immediately recognized the existence before him.
"You... this aura... you are a god!" exclaimed Nereus.
"My name is Venti. Or you might prefer to call me Barbatos," Venti bowed with an elegant theatrical flair. "And I bring complaints from your neighbor to the north, God Njord of Melen."
Hearing Njord's name, Nereus's emotional defenses instantly crumbled. The old god slumped back into his chair, rubbing his face with both his trembling hands.
"Njord... Ah, so the chaos in Melen finally caught the attention of a faction from Orario," murmured Nereus bitterly. "I suspected as much. The rotten plan of this Royal Family would ultimately bring destruction upon ourselves."
"As I guessed, you are very aware of what is happening at Lake Lolog," said Venti, confirming his suspicion. "King Unohm and the Altena mages built a machine to siphon the Leviathan's residual energy to maintain Cetus island. And you, as the god who should be protecting them, are instead isolated in your own headquarters."
Nereus laughed bitterly, a laugh filled with regret.
"King Unohm and Queen Jiene have lost their sanity, Barbatos," explained Nereus, staring at the cold marble floor. "When the Leviathan shells stopped forming and our islands began to sink, despair struck. Altena came offering the 'Shedar'—a giant connector to revive 'Cassiopeia', an ancient castle that can support the entire island of Cetus to keep it from sinking."
Dina stepped forward, her brow furrowed. "Then, why did you oppose it? Wouldn't that save your people?"
Nereus looked at the Elf girl with wet eyes. "Because the price to pay is too cruel. Cassiopeia is not an ordinary machine. That machine requires a 'Keystone'—the soul and blood of the Royal Family—to be burned slowly as its driving core."
Venti fell silent. The faint cries he felt through the gust of wind from the south in Melen that time now found a concrete form.
"They intend to sacrifice their own child," concluded Venti calmly, his eyes looking straight at Nereus.
"Correct!" exclaimed Nereus full of anger and sorrow. "The ninth princess, Asfi. That child is only seven years old, yet she possesses extraordinary intelligence in creating magical objects. Jiene never loved her. Because Asfi does not have a Falna, she was locked on the top floor of the Marble Castle, exiled from the world. But when this island began to sink, Unohm saw the child no longer as a burden, but as the perfect sacrifice!"
Nereus clenched his fists. "When I refused to give my blessing for this sacrifice and intended to take her away, Unohm cooperated with Altena to seal me here."
Hedin Selland gritted his teeth. As a former king who had committed cruel acts in the past, even he felt sickened by a leader who sacrificed his own flesh and blood for a sinking throne.
"However, the most horrifying part is not the sacrifice, Barbatos," continued Nereus, his eyes now radiating palpable terror. He gripped the armrests of his chair. "King Unohm is a blind fool. He thought Altena truly wanted to help save Cetus. But those Altena mages have another plan!"
Nereus stared intently at Venti.
"Altena doesn't care about the safety of Dizara. They want a monopoly over Asfi's genius and the energy from the Leviathan," hissed Nereus. "Once Cassiopeia is activated and the Shedar machine is fully connected to the Melen Seal, Altena will use that energy to detach Cetus Island from its foundation."
"They want to steal the island?" Hogni tilted his head, his eyes blinking in confusion.
"Altena plans to turn Cetus into a floating fortress and research facility for their own country," said Venti, perfecting the conclusion. "They will secure the energy source, kidnap the genius inventor, and leave Orario and the Guild in a disadvantaged position."
"Exactly," answered Nereus weakly. "If their plan succeeds, Altena will gain absolute magical supremacy. With a floating fortress unreachable by any ground forces."
The Sea God slowly rose from his chair, walking closer to Venti with a staggering step.
"Barbatos, I beg you," Nereus's voice pleaded, full of the despair of a failed protector. "Thwart Altena's plan. Destroy that Shedar machine! And please... save that little princess. Asfi is just a child who likes the stars and is always making small gadgets from behind her bedroom window. Give her the freedom I couldn't give her from her cage."
Venti looked at the old god. To the God of Freedom, a sincere plea to liberate a shackled soul was the most precious thing. Turning a child full of potential into a tool in a cage was a tragedy deeply hated by the wind.
Venti smiled, a smile that radiated warmth yet harbored absolute firmness.
"Your request is accepted, Nereus. As a fellow god, I accept your blessing to clean up the mess in this house of yours," said Venti lightly.
Venti turned around, his green cloak fluttering elegantly. He looked at his four followers. Hedin, Hogni, Dina, and Vena were already on full alert, their auras stable and deadly.
"You heard the story yourselves," said Venti casually. "There is a genius little child waiting to be saved inside the Castle. And there is a bunch of mages and a stupid king who need to be taught what freedom means."
"What are your specific instructions, Lord Venti?" asked Hedin.
"We leave for Cetus Island right now," ordered Venti with a calm yet binding tone. "Destroy that extractor machine. Incapacitate the Altena mages and capture their leader alive. Royman Mardeel will surely be very happy to get a diplomatic captive from Altena as compensation for the Guild's losses and in Melen."
Venti smiled toward the dark sea.
"And most importantly... we will pick up that princess, and give her the choice to see the world."
The rescue mission that would shake the history of the lower world had just begun. The Wind of Freedom had set its course, ready to break down the white stone cage at the edge of the ocean.
------------------------------
"Like my work? Catch up to Chapter 82 over on my Patreon!"
P - Gem_Blanks
Thank you so much for your support — you make all of this worthwhile.)