"Finally back."
They all turned to look at the source of the voice. Arlienne's smirk deepened, while Rui's eyes widened, his mouth hanging half open. Anathema rolled his eyes, letting out a sharp tch noise, perhaps disappointed in himself.
Emerion, however, didn't give much reaction; his eyes remained dull and his posture was heavy, as if he were carrying an invisible weight.
"Ryuuken... What happened to you?" Anathema asked, looking at the brawny haired man who stood on his feet with his face masked in dirt.
"Ha, no big deal. Accidents happen. But at least you are alright now, Mui," Ryuuken said, walking toward the raven haired boy. Ryuuken stumbled, but Mui caught him just in time.
"You said no big deal, yet you can't even walk properly," Mui said, his hazel eyes searching Ryuuken's face.
Rui, who was watching the interaction, looked dumbfounded, his gaze darting between them in confusion.
"I will be fine.. but the captain is still roaming free. I will make him pay for his betrayal and the children of that woman too." Upon hearing Ryuuken's words, the curly haired guard Rui felt sweat dripping from his forehead, his heart thumping rapidly against his ribs like a trapped bird
.
"Why are you.." Ryuuken extended his right arm, looking at Rui, but stopped midway as his eyes landed on two silver haired figures standing behind the guard. One wore a sharp smirk, the other had no such expression at all.
Ryuuken removed his left arm from Mui's neck and stepped closer toward the Dawnveil siblings.
"The prey walk themselves into the mouth of the predator, huh?" He spoke with a dark grin, his voice a combination of excitement and vengeance.
"Let's finish what we started," Ryuuken said.
"You are like a bull. All muscles, no brains," Arlienne said, wearing her usual smirk and keeping her tone casual.
"What did you say.. one victory doesn't mean you both are invincible." Ryuuken's gaze shifted to Emerion, who was quiet throughout this moment, his eyes fixed at the wall.
"Even you would agree, wouldn't you? There is no room for you to fly it's a hallway, not a deck,"
Ryuuken said with a grin, but he received no response from the boy, not even a glance.
"Oi, oi, stop acting so cool. Are you scared of losing?"
"I will draw some expression on that face of yours with my punches."
Ryuuken walked toward Emerion. He clenched his fist and lifted his right arm, the punch aimed straight for the face.
Crack.
"You can't attack him or his sister, Ryuuken. You have to calm down."
The voice belonged to the curly haired guard Rui, his voice a combination of pain and resistance.
Ryuuken's eyes went wide, and he gritted his teeth, making a low growling sound.
"Why did you come between me and him, idiot? Are you out of your mind helping an enemy?"
"No.. I know what I am doing," Rui said, touching his nose where the punch had landed. His fingers showed some blood, but he continued. "I gave her the Oath of Echoes in exchange for healing you."
Rui pulled out a handkerchief and placed it on his nose, wiping some blood off. The hallway became quiet too quiet as soon as Rui said that.
"So now it explains the fresh wound mark on his back, and the burning control room, and why he was unconscious,"
Mui said, examining Ryuuken's back. The skin was a light black, despite the healing, anyone could tell the brutal manner of the wound.
"You should have just let me die. You are a shame for House Corvus for taking help from an enemy."
Ryuuken grabbed Rui by the collar, lifting him up. He spoke again as if spitting. "What did you do.. huh? What did you do?"
Ryuuken shook Rui violently in the air. "What oath you gave them, you bastard?" Ryuuken slammed Rui on the wall, a mix of emotions evident on his face as his features contorted.
"I just.. I just wanted to save you.. I had no choice.." Rui's voice was shaking, and he avoided looking into Ryuuken's eyes.
"The oath I gave them was nobody from House Corvus will attack them and we won't use other houses as pawns or allies to attack them,"
Rui said, still avoiding eye contact. Ryuuken gritted his teeth harder, veins popping up in his neck and chin. His eyes burned with a searing heat.
"You could have just let me die honorably. Now I will have to live in shame, in debt of an enemy, all because of you,"
Ryuuken said, spitting a bit on Rui's face. Rui's eyes narrowed as he heard Ryuuken.
"What's the point of dying if you can't reach your goal? Would the death be satisfied if you didn't know if Mui is alive or not?"
Rui said, raising his voice and catching Ryuuken off guard. "You just glorify failure as glory. That girl said right you are just like a bull."
Rui chuckled dryly. Ryuuken's eyes shot up. "Then you will see how the bull hits."
"That's the only thing you know. Go ahead, satisfy your heart,"
Rui said with a tch noise. Ryuuken raised his fist to hit Rui but just then...
"Enough.." The voice echoed through the hall, catching both Ryuuken and Rui off guard. The voice belonged to Mui, who stepped toward them.
His expression was unreadable. "I have enough of this. I can't believe I worked so hard inside the barrier just to see you two fighting each other instead of fighting our real enemies,"
Mui said, narrowing his eyes at his guards. Ryuuken let go of Rui's collar, and Rui fell on the ground with a thud.
"You are right, my lord," Ryuuken said, bowing his head slightly in a fancy way. "We should deal with them first."
Ryuuken's gaze fell on the Dawnveil siblings again. "We are fighting among each other because of their tricks. We should end our real enemy first. Forgive me, I got carried away." Ryuuken's hand reached for the hilt of a blade.
"Fufu.. someone is excited," Arlienne said, fanning herself with her hand.
"Damn right I am." Ryuuken took his speeding stance, but Mui swung his sword, unleashing a wind slice that pierced through both walls. Bricks fell, some into the hallway and some onto the deck outside.
Everyone looked at Mui with a mix of expressions.
"I said real enemies," Mui said in a calm, collected voice.
"Yes, they are in front of.."
"No. They are not in front of us. They are below us." Ryuuken was cut off by Mui.
Mui pointed his index finger outside. Ryuuken looked at the general deck where people were being taken by men with weapons in their hands, perhaps pirates.
"Where are they going?"
Ryuuken asked, looking at the passengers. They had eerie smiles on their faces and were not resisting being taken away.
"They are taken away. The song is affecting them, I assume." Mui side eyed Arlienne, who was very composed. "Am I correct?"
"My, my, you learned your lesson. 100 points," Arlienne said with a cheerful smile and a wink.
"The song... Yeah.. so that's why they are not resisting. It affects their minds," Rui said, now looking over as well.
"But why is the captain involved in this?" Rui asked Arlienne, expecting an answer.
"It's a very long story.
We have to act very carefully," Arlienne said, walking closer to Mui's group as she took a peek below through the broken wall.
"We? Since when have we agreed to work together?" Ryuuken said, raising an eyebrow and making an expression of clear displeasure at the word "we."
"She is right, Ryuuken. We have to be very careful. We can't save everyone if we work alone. We need every sword that is available,"
Mui said, giving Ryuuken a look. Hesitation was evident in his eyes.
"I agree we should work together.
The captain is very tricky," Rui said with a sigh.
"Oh trust me, that clever bastard," Ryuuken said, his body becoming tense again. "I want to give a beating to that fox.
You have to give me the chance, Mui."
Ryuuken looked at the raven haired boy. Mui's expression remained unreadable, perhaps wondering whether he should grant the request or not.
After a pause, he said, "If you wish that, then you will have it. But first we need a plan because many lives are involved."
Mui turned to Arlienne. However, Arlienne raised her arms in the air with a huff. "Don't look at a single girl like that. This time I don't have any plan," Arlienne said casually, acting overly girly.
Sheepishness could be seen, but they knew better she was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Mui was about to pursue more but was interrupted.
"Why do we need to save everyone? They are not our people. We could just go straight and beat the shit out of the captain," Ryuuken said.
His voice clearly showed eagerness as he moved back and forth with impatience.
Rui raised his hand and spoke.
"I agree with Ryuuken this time. Saving everyone will be near impossible."
The hallway became quiet again.
Mui closed his eyes, torn between his heart and mind. Suddenly, a slap broke the tense silence. Then again, again, and again.
Emerion's eyes rolled up and his ears perked. For the first time, he showed a reaction after coming out of the barrier.
"It was not me." Ryuuken raised his arms as Mui looked at him.
"Not me either," Rui said, looking at Arlienne.
"I guess you three love looking at me, I should be flattered, but no it wasn't me," Arlienne said, looking at Emerion, who looked back and forth at everyone.
"What's going on here?" Emerion said as everyone's gaze fell on him. They all sighed in unison.
"I don't understand this guy," Ryuuken muttered, his mouth half opening.
"But then who slapped whom?" Mui asked. They all went silent again, but the slap echoed again.
"What's your name?" a feminine voice said with a demanding and impatient tone.
"W-what?" a young voice said in response. Only to receive two more slaps.
"What is your name?"
"S-Shin," the young voice said. Emerion's eyes widened as he heard it.
He rushed forward, pushing Rui and Ryuuken off so he could get a view of the deck.
"The voices were coming from here," Emerion said, looking further left of the deck where a shoulder length, raven haired girl was slapping a kid. He facepalmed as he recognized both people.
"Isn't it the healer's daughter?"
Mui pointed out, following Emerion's gaze.
"Why is she slapping the kid?" Rui asked.
"I think Nyxelle might not have a brain, but she might have an idea,"
Arlienne said with mockingness as she looked as well. Emerion shot a glare at his sister.
"What a weird phrase," Emerion muttered. Arlienne placed her hand close to her heart, feigning a hurt expression.
"You are so mean. Besides, you are the most weird person on the ship," Arlienne said, hiding a smirk.
"You said the raven haired girl might have an idea, what is it? Regardless, we shouldn't waste any time, we should go down soon," Mui said.
Emerion and Rui nodded along. The more time they wasted, the more difficult it would be to save people, and the control room was burning on top of it.
"The idea is that the song can affect your mind. My theory was correct." Arlienne's expression turned delighted as she noticed Nyxelle said something to the kid and the kid ran.
"What are you talking about?" Rui asked, shooting a glance of doubt.
"Yeah, stop talking in riddles," Ryuuken said, veins popping on his forehead this time.
"The song's effect can be avoided if you don't enjoy it. You have to distract your senses. Pain is the easiest option,"
Arlienne said, throwing up the thick cloth that she used to cover her ears.
"I see.." Mui said, placing his fingers to his chin as if thinking.
"Even if we avoid the song.. there is no way we can save all people while fighting pirates and the officers."
Rui sat on the floor. He looked at the people being taken away onto the pirate ship. He closed his eyes and placed a hand on his forehead.
"Yeah, they are strangers, they are not our responsibility,"
Ryuuken said, supporting Rui. Mui clenched his fist as he felt the pressure. There was no doubt they were right. Mui remembered his brother's words
"I live inside you. I'll always be with you. I wish we had more time… but you must go now. You can't afford to die and abandon the people who will need your help in the future."
Mui's mind wondered what kind of people Leon meant by those people of his own, or people in general. With a long pause, someone finally opened their mouth to speak.
"I don't know what customs or teachings of your house say. But they are humans just like we are."
The voice belonged to Emerion, who hit his fist on the broken wall, blood dripping from his knuckles onto the floor.
Mui lifted his chin with awe. Everyone turned their heads to the silver haired boy.
"I can't just turn a blind eye. Perhaps they have someone waiting at home,"
Emerion said. Unlike before, his voice was filled with a burning emotion. "Perhaps they have a wife or husband, parents, children, or friends expecting them at their destination."
"I know I might sound naive to you.. maybe I am." Emerion clenched his fist, avoiding eye contact with everyone.
"But I don't want to live in regret and have my thoughts eating me up at night."
"Are you listening to what you're staying, you wanna be hero? Why should we risk our lives to save people we don't even know?"
Ryuuken said, looking at Emerion. Emerion took a deep breath, knowing Ryuuken's words were justified in a cold way.
"Because they are victims. The world is cruel. If we don't stop and save them, who knows tomorrow the same thing can happen to someone we know or love. It will be too late for regret then." Emerion stepped closer to Ryuuken.
"Of course, then someone like you would rampage. Probably you will seek vengeance because you have strength."
Emerion paused before continuing. "But not everyone has equal strength. Some people will just cry and curse them. They would wish if only they were strong, their loved ones would be with them today. I know how it feels to be helpless."
Emerion's voice was not loud, but it was enough to make the hallway quiet again. His body was shaking with the force of his words.
"The strong protect the weak. Someone maybe did the same for you, a person being a shield for you until you learned to stand your own ground.If they were selfish like you, you wouldn't be alive to stand here and give your selfish statements."
Hearing Emerion's words, Mui grew tense; his mind showed an image of Leon in Emerion's place. Ryuuken averted his gaze, looking almost embarrassed.
"You call yourselves nobles? How pathetic," Emerion said, now raising his head.
Clap clap clap.
They all turned their heads as the clapping broke the tense moment. The golden haired woman had a smile playing on her face.
"Aunt Seraphyne.. I didn't take you for eavesdropping," Arlienne said, raising her eyebrow.
Nobody had seen Seraphyne coming, but she just placed her hand close to her mouth, making a soft giggling sound.
"I was not eavesdropping, Arlienne." She turned to Emerion, who avoided eye contact, perhaps embarrassed now. "A speech is meant to be heard by everyone, after all,"
Seraphyne said, maintaining a calm demeanor while her eyes shone with pride.
"I have heard something like that before from someone in different circumstances,"
Seraphyne said, closing her eyes as nostalgia hit her.
"But we still don't have a plan," Rui said. They were losing time with each passing minute.
Seraphyne smiled and used her finger to lift Emerion's chin. "If a problem occurs, the solution comes along with it. Isn't it right, Emerion?"
Seraphyne said calmly. A chill went through Emerion's body at her words the same words his mother had said to him years ago.
Seeing Emerion's quiet reaction, Seraphyne continued. "You have taken the first step towards the solution. When nobody else dared,"
she said, looking at everyone in the hallway. "Be proud, and lead us towards the solution by taking the second step as well."
Emerion's body became more tense, his eyes still lacking conviction. Perhaps he had said the speech just in the heat of the moment. Everyone looked at him expectantly.
"I.. I.. don't know if I can.. it could fail.. my plan is not perfect. It's Arlienne's job, I can't," Emerion said, his voice shaking slightly. Ryuuken sighed. Everyone's expression dropped again, except for Mui's.
"But right now, you are all we have got. Arlienne can't think right now, but you can. A bad plan is still better than no plan at all, Emerion. The lives of the passengers lay in your hands,"
Seraphyne said, her eyes narrowing with sharpness. "It's an honor, Emerion. Embrace it with pride. You have the freedom to make your plan right now."
Seraphyne paused before saying, "Remember failure is not an option. Running away isn't either."
Everyone nodded along. Emerion's heart beat faster he hadn't wanted this. Every time he had fought, something had gone wrong.
"How can she put me in such a position? I have to do something, but what? It won't be perfect. I should have never given a speech, damn it, what got into me.. I am not a hero. Only a hero can save this ship."
Emerion thought to himself; he was not a hero from the storybooks he read as a kid, after all. Now everyone's expectations and hope lay on his shoulders.
A hero would simply save the people while his friends handle other tasks. Emerion's eyes lit up as the thought crossed his mind.
"This is not so different either.. we need to save the people, but the obstacle would be fighting pirates and officers, and the song on top of it. If somehow we can stop the singer, then people will resist the pirates."
Emerion opened his mouth to speak but paused.
"If we kill every officer, who would control the ship? This time it is perhaps functioning on its own due to Leviacore, but we will still need someone to give the ship direction, so we will need to save the control room too."
"We should just kick the captain's ass. This guy is just delusional with powers," Ryuuken said. He was about to jump directly into the fight.
"Wait, I have a plan." Emerion got everyone's attention as soon as he said it.
"We are listening," Seraphyne said with an approving nod.
"We need to do two things. First, saving the people, and second, saving the ship. We are seven people in total, if we count Nyxelle."
Emerion paused. "Let's split up. Arlienne will go down there along with you, Ryuuken, and Aunt Seraphyne. Rui, you will use your ability to hide in Ryuuken's shadow, just in case he loses control."
Rui nodded, understanding Emerion's demand, and vanished into Ryuuken's shadow.
"But what will we do? Fight them directly?" Arlienne asked with a smirk.
"No. Ryuuken will fight the officers and captain. Rui will assist him."
Emerion turned to his sister and aunt. "I want you to stop the singer. I think it's the blonde haired one. If you manage to stop her, the people will resist."
"Aunt, I want you to protect Arlienne from pirate attacks. Count Nyxelle in the plan too." Seraphyne nodded.
Mui, however, coughed, catching Emerion's attention.
"You didn't mention my role."
"Yes, because I need you here. Use your mist to keep the fire in check, and I will be with you just in case someone attacks," Emerion explained.
"There is one thing you need to know," everyone turned to Seraphyne. "The captain is planning to sink this ship. The lower decks are probably covered in water by now, so we have to be quick."
Seraphyne's words landed like a final blow. Emerion's eyes widened.
"If that's the case, then we will have to do an emergency landing,"
Arlienne said, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"But are there any nearby lands?" Mui asked with a gulp.
"There is Erinfall Island nearby. We have no choice but to land there," Seraphyne said with a sigh.
"Are we just going to sulk around? We need to teach those people a lesson," Ryuuken said, stomping his foot on the ground.
"You are right. We need to act," Mui said.
"Oh, there is one thing I forgot,"
Emerion rubbed the back of his head. "Arlienne, try to make the singer our hostage. We need her ability to influence the captain's mind."
"I see. So you want the captain's water manipulation ability so the fire in the control room can be extinguished."
Arlienne's smirk deepened; she liked her brother's way of thinking.
"What? Then I won't be able to kill that bastard," Ryuuken protested, showing clear displeasure.
"You can still beat him half dead, or you can kill him after he fulfills his role,"
Emerion said with a genuine expression. They were all caught off guard by his bluntness.
"Sometimes I forget you are my sister's son after all," Seraphyne laughed before jumping out, landing gracefully on the deck, followed by Arlienne.
"I will burn you in hell, you punks!" Ryuuken shouted loudly, catching the attention of the pirates and officers below.
Mui facepalmed and Emerion sighed.
"Just go, idiot." Mui kicked Ryuuken on his butt, and he landed face first on the deck.
"That was harsh, I guess," Emerion said, rolling his eyes. Mui just walked past him, and the hallway was soon covered in mist.