"RUN!!!"
The scream tore through the streets.
Hundreds of footsteps thundered across the stone roads as people shoved past one another, knocking children to the ground, abandoning carts, luggage, and everything they owned.
The once clear and bright skies had now turned dark and filled with smoke as houses were set on fire by veils.
A roar echoed behind the fleeing Ardorians.
Then came the screams.
"They're here!!!" Someone screamed.
"Is this how it all ends for us!!!?" Another screamed.
"Do not look back!!!" A man yelled.
Suddenly, a woman stumbled.
She never got back up.
Frozen with fear.
Veil knights poured through the smoke behind the fleeing crowd. Grotesque winged beasts flew over rooftops, diving into the stampede like rain of arrows.
One headed straight for the woman.
Then.
WHOOSH.
An inferno roared through the street, blasting the diving beasts away.
A man approached the woman, still shaking..
"Miss, you need to get up now." He said.
The woman turned her head.
"Sir Vaelor of House Pendragon... W-what are you doing here?" She asked.
"That isn't important right now."
Vaelor pulled her up.
"We need to go before the last boat to Nymirel leaves."
Shing.
Shing.
Whoosh.
A woman stood alone, her sword engulfed in Emberia.
Though heavily pregnant, she held the line against the Veils and winged beasts without retreating.
"Maiessa!!" Vaelor yelled. "Let's hurry."
"Vaelor, You're back." She said, a smile appearing on her face.
"Sorry I left you alone. I just couldn't abandon our people."
She smirked. "But you chose to leave your pregnant wife?"
Vaelor lowered his head. "Ehh. I'm sorry."
"Not the time for that, let's reach the boat first." She said.
Vaelor and Maeissa followed closely behind the crowd, unable to overtake because of Maeissa's pregnancy.
"What's going on?" Maeissa asked.
"I have no idea either…" Vaelor replied. "Aethon just told me to watch over and protect you, and stay far away from the palace."
Maeissa turned back to look at the palace up in flames.
"Ahh…" she gasped, covering her mouth.
Vaelor turned back.
His eyes instantly widened.
"My King…"
Tears rolled down his eyes as he watched the royal banner burn as the palace roof collapsed.
"Maeissa…"
He wiped the tears off his face.
"Let's keep moving."
Maeissa nodded.
They ran.
Through burning streets.
Past abandoned homes.
Past lifeless and burnt bodies.
Past knights who still stood against the tide of their comrades who had become veils, knowing they would never see another sunrise.
Every corner they turned brought more screams. Every street looked worse than the last.
By the time the harbor finally came into view…
Their hearts sank.
"No…" Maeissa whispered.
The ship was full.
Ardorians crowded every inch of its deck. Mothers held their child tightly. While the fathers fought for their family to get onboard. Elderly men clung to the rails. Soldiers remained behind on the docks, forcing a smile as they waved their families goodbye.
Vaelor collapsed on his knees.
"We are late…"
Suddenly.
Someone called them.
"Sir Vaelor!"
The captain of the ship shouted.
He waved them over then turned to the crowd below.
"Make room, now!"
Several passengers immediately shifted aside.
"The Pendragon family is coming aboard!"
Vaelor held Maeissa's hand and walked towards the ship.
All eyes fixed on them as they began walking through the crowd.
The whispers began.
"What about us?!"
"My family has children too."
"Mama, why are they being allowed?"
"They are royalty, son."
"What is this crap?!"
"Yeah, we've been here since the last two shops left!!"
The shouting spread through the crowd.
More voices joined in.
The fear of the crowd quickly turned to anger.
Vaelor looked at Maeissa.
Then back at the angry faces surrounding them.
He smiled faintly.
"...It's alright."
He raised a hand towards the captain.
"Let the mothers and children board."
"But sir—"
"That's an order."
The captain lowered his head.
"...Understood."
The ladders were released as the few passengers boarded the ship.
"I-I'm sorry, Maeissa." Vaelor whispered.
Maeissa held him tightly. "It's not your fault. I'd have done the same."
The ship slowly drifted away from the harbor.
Silence fell across those left behind.
The last hope sailed farther and farther into the sea.
Then…
The ocean bulged.
A shadow spread beneath the vessel.
"...Captain?" Someone whispered.
The sea erupted.
CRASSSH!!!
A colossal tentacle burst from the water, wrapping itself around the hull. Followed by a bellowing roar.
Screams echoed across the harbor.
Another tentacle burst out and crashed down.
The ship's mast snapped in half.
The vessel was then lifted into the air by the tentacle as a massive monster slowly raised its head out of the sea.
"HELP THEM!"
"SIR VAELOR!"
"PLEASE!"
"SAVE MY FAMILY ON BOARD, PLEASE!"
Vaelor instinctively stepped forward.
Then…
A gentle tug stopped him.
Maeissa held onto his sleeve.
She didn't say a word.
She simply rested a trembling hand against her stomach.
Vaelor stared at her.
Then, at the ship.
Then back to the child they hadn't even met yet.
His fists tightened.
"...Forgive me."
Crimson flames burst from his back.
Twin wings formed from Emberia unfurled into the smoke-filled sky.
He wrapped one arm around Maeissa's waist.
"Hold on.."
With a single beat of his flaming wings.
BOOM!
He shot across the sky, soaring over the writhing sea beast below.
The burning city and screams disappeared behind them.
Ahead…
Only the Dark Forest remained.
Maeissa held on tightly to him.
"Vaelor…"
"Yes, my love." He replied.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Vaelor chuckled slightly.
Silence.
"Vaelor…"
"Yes?"
"I've decided on a name for our child." she muttered, smiling.
"Hmm, I'd love to hear it."
"He who chooses the one he loves over countless others."
Vaelor smiled.
"Arturia."
"Hmm."
Maeissa nodded.
"Arturia…"
—
"Arturia!!!"
Thud.
"Yeah?"
"Come on, get up." A female voice rang out.
"What's going on?"
"The Supreme Commander is asking for you." She answered. "So quit sleeping. You aren't the only one that's sea sick here you know."
Arturia lowered his head, brushing his dreads aside.
He sighed. "It's not that, Arlen."
"Whatever."
She walked to the door of the cabin.
"Don't lock yourself in again, it gets me and everyone else worried." She muttered. "Even the commander."
The door clicked shut.
Arturia's head still remained lowered.
"That dream again."
He groaned.
"Father. Mother…"
He stood and left for the door, turning back to take a look at the picture of his parents he had sketched.
Arturia pushed the cabin door open and stepped onto the deck.
A cool sea breeze greeted him, carrying the scent of salt and the rhythmic crash of waves against the ship's hull.
Endless blue stretched in every direction. Sea gulls circled above lazily while the ship rose and fell, its sails billowing steadily in the wind.
Arturia rested on the wooden rail. Then gazed at the sea.
"So quiet. So peaceful."
He groaned.
"If only you didn't make me feel sick."
"Ah… Arturia. You finally decide to come out."
A familiar voice came from behind.
"Is it because we are nearing Terraka?"
Arturia lazily turned around. Then, instantly straightened up. Raising his right hand up, fist clenched, and his left hand against his chest.
"Lord Mar'gareth." He salutes.
Mar'gareth chuckled. "Why so stiff. Come on, relax."
Arturia exhaled. "Sorry about my self-isolation. I'm not just used to the sea."
"Well, I don't blame you." Mar'gareth replied. "Considering the sea we are currently on is apart of the Dark Forest."
"Yeah."
Arturia turned towards the endless blue.
"The Void of Abyss."
He then turned back to Mar'gareth.
"So, Commander, I have a question."
Mar'gareth nodded. "Go on…"
"Why did you suddenly choose to depart for Terraka, leaving Ny'mir in charge of Nymirel?"
"Ah… that's a bit hard to answer." Mar'gareth rubbed his head.
"Commander…"
"I just miss my daughters, alright?" He said. "Wait till you have yours. I'm sure you'll understand then."
"Whatever you say, sir." Arturia replied. "And the other reason?"
Mar'gareth's expression became serious.
"I heard princess Aurivelle awakened a bearer of Terra and Emberia."
"Emberia, how?" Arturia asked, surprised.
"Zyron married a descendant of an Ardorian Refugee. So all his children have Ardorian blood running in them." Mar'gareth explained.
"True, but that doesn't exactly answer how Emberia awakened." Arturia said. "Last time I checked the records, I was the last Emberia wielder in all of Caramien."
"Then, be ready to lose your mind because…"
Mar'gareth held Arturia by his shoulders.
"...There was an awakening in my daughter's vanguard. And it looked like Emberia."
Arturia blinked. "Looked like?"
"Yeah. It looked like Emberia."
Mar'gareth let go of him.
"And that's the sub-main reason I'm leaving my very important duties in Nymirel."
Arturia folded his arms.
"Huh uhn."
"I'm serious though." Mar'gareth replied. "I also heard that when he awakened. His body looked like that of a…"
"...Veil."
Arturia's expression changed.
"Veil…?" He stroked his chin. "Is this a new tactic used by the Seven Thrones Of Ruin?"
"I'm not sure either…" Mar'gareth said. "And since it happened in Terraka…"
"...It means it takes top priority."
"It means it takes top priority."
Arturia muttered at the same time as Mar'gareth.
Mar'gareth continued. "If he's clean, then I'd like to task you with training him and the princess. It's been nearly eight decades since we last saw anyone use Emberia besides you."
"Also why I need this strange awakener to be clean. Since I hear that he's strong. And is also Eimira's lover."
Arturia blinked. "Eimira has a lover?"
"Yeah." Mar'gareth frowned. "Any problem with that?"
Arturia laughed slightly. "I'm just surprised it's someone else, not Yunok."
"I heard her lover saved her from Yunok."
Arturia tilted his head. "Saved?"
"Yeah. From the letter I got from Feona, Yunok challenged Eimira to a duel, and at the end, he tried to kill her." Mar'gareth explained.
"Where's Yunok now?" Arturia asked. "Surely even his father won't tolerate such behaviour."
"He hasn't been found yet. Both at the academy and the palace. Even his vanguard members don't know where he is." Mar'gareth answered.
"And what's the name of this lover?" Arturia asked.
"Zandren. No family name. He was found by Eimira's vanguard in their recent expedition to the Dark Forest."
"Hmm…"
"And that brings me to the reason why we left Nymirel early." Mar'gareth continued.
Then walked up to the front of the ship, signalling for Arturia to follow behind.
"The King, Zyron Elruka, is seriously ill and is currently bed-ridden." He whispered. "No one knows how it happened and Duke is currently handling his duties."
"Hmm, from what it looks like… it doesn't seem like King Zyron is the kind to fall ill easily, especially to the point he gets bed-ridden. So…"
"What are you getting at, Arturia?" Mar'gareth glanced at him.
Arturia glanced back at Mar'gareth. "Poison?"
Mar'gareth laughed loudly. "Right! That's what I deduced too. Hence why we need to get to Terraka and begin the investigation on how the poisoning happened and also begin the search for a cure."
"Yes, Commander." Arturia salutes.
Mar'gareth glanced at him, then back to the sea.
"It's those dreams again, right?"
Arturia slowly lowered his arms.
"What?"
Mar'gareth smiled softly. "The one about the end of Ardor and… your parents."
Arturia exhaled. "Yeah… I don't know why it's happening again."
He continued. "I don't want to be reminded of how our nation got taken down so easily…"
"...and how my parents died right in front of me."
He turned to Mar'gareth.
"If not for you finding me, Commander, I also would have perished."
Mar'gareth patted him on the head. "You don't need to do all this, Arturia. I'm just glad I was able to save the last remaining descendant of House Pendragon."
"Still…"
"...The last time this dream occurred was when you were at the Soul Tree in the Nymirel palace."
Arturia nodded. "Yes…"
"Is there some kind of connection?" Mar'gareth asked.
"I-I'm not sure…"
Suddenly—
The ship lurched violently.
CRASH.
Passengers stumbled across the deck.
Barrels rolled overboard.
But Arturia and Mar'gareth remained still and calm.
"What was that?" Arturia asked.
"Probably some void monster…" Mar'gareth answered.
"Whew. Much better than slamming into an iceberg."
The sailors rushed to the rails.
Silence.
Then—
A huge shadow passes beneath the ship.
One of the sailors stumbled backwards, falling.
A sailor turned back, then yelled.
"Stop the ship, Emerald Serpent ahead."
"Drop both Anchors, NOW!!!"
The sailors sprang into action, doing what they can to create distance between them and the serpent.
BOOOMMM!!!
The Serpent erupts from the depths.
Even though it was just its head, it completely dwalved the ship. Its body continues beneath the sea, so large that nobody could tell.
Its Emerald scales glisten with seawater. Its golden slit pupils stare down at the tiny ship.
Arlen stepped forward.
"Commander, do you need me to handle this one?"
Mar'gareth glanced at her, then shook his head.
He then glances sideways.
"Arturia…"
Arturia nods
"Don't burn the ship though!" Arlen yelled.
Without another word, he walked towards the bow of the ship, holding his Claymore sideways with both hands.
Each step was steady.
Unhurried.
Emberia began to gather around him and into his blade.
He continued compressing again and again, until the air around the blade began to tremble.
The wooden deck groaned beneath his feet as he got closer to the bow of the ship.
The blade glowed brighter.
Brighter.
Not one member under Mar'gareth reached for their weapon.
None of them moved.
They simply watched Arturia.
He stopped.
Eyes closed.
"... Bur'Ignisia…"
"...Hear the call…"
"... of the last Pendragon!"
Whoosh!!!
Flaming wings burst out of his back.
He lowered his stance.
Then.
His eyes shot open, glowing a bright orange.
Boom!!!
He shot high into the sky.
Far above the ship and over the serpent that hissed at him.
Arturia dived down, his blade bursting out in flames.
The serpent lunged at him.
BOOOMMM!!!!
A deafening explosion erupted the instant the serpent was struck.
The ocean carved inward beneath the serpent.
Then exploded outward.
A towering wall of water rose into the heavens as a bright orange shockwave rippled across the sea.
The ship lurched violently.
CRACK!
Its wooden hull groaned under the pressure.
"Everyone hang on to something tangible!!!" Mar'gareth yelled.
The sailors quickly ran to the masts, and into the safety of the cabin.
The surrounding waves flattened for a heartbeat…
Then returned as a monstrous ring of water that surged outward in every direction.
The serpent's top half was reduced to nothing but little chunks of meat raining into the trench formed from the impact. What was left of the serpent slowly disappeared beneath the waves.
Steam hissed into the sky.
Silence.
Then.
Rain.
Countless droplets fell back onto the ship.
Arturia slowly lowered himself.
"...I think that was too much."
"Too much?" Arlen snapped, clutching his collar.
"Do you know how long it took for this robe to dry?!"
"M-my bad…"
Arlen sighed.
"It's fine. Sometimes I tend to forget how destructive Emberia can be."
Mar'gareth chuckled as he stepped forward. "Well, you can't be mad at our Arturia. He's trying his best for everyone and you too, Arlen."
"Commander… don't." She turned to leave. "I need to go change my clothes now."
Arturia moved closer to Mar'gareth.
"Did I anger her?" He asked.
Mar'gareth smiled.
"Not at all, Arturia…"
"…Not at all."