1 I

The stars were beautifully stretched across the earth's atmosphere. Seeming to twinkle on humans' naked eyes. It highlighted the dark sky and if you traced it with your fingers one might even discover a constellation. Stars compelled people. History loved and saw them as a compass, Gods even. But tonight was not a night to be engaged admiring these glowing balls of hot gas.

The world was cloaked in darkness, lit up by the stars. It was only a few minutes after midnight. But, for the people of the Opeña Blanc, their night life had only begun.

Enjoying the time of their lives with the different facilities of the luxury cruise ship. Some were drinking their hearts out in the well-known bars on the ship, some were exploring, looking for a shop or place that would catch their eyes, some were gambling in the casino were hundreds of things that were created and crafted for these people's entertainment and pleasure.

It was the staff and crew's job to make sure that all of them were well cared for. A luxury cruise ship that one can only ever dream of boarding on. There were even people who had to save up their months or even years worth of salary just to get a ticket for the 7-day trip that the cruise offered. a once in a lifetime moment for others, making the best out of it as it is their last day on earth.

Suddenly, a loud sound of a horn blasting was heard on every corner of the luxury ship, a signal that indicated that people needed to evacuate the cruise immediately. Startling the people on board, and because of how loud it is, few people that were asleep didn't have a choice but to go out of their beds and take a look at the what might be a situation that is worthy for the loud adrenaline creating alarms.

"FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!" Loud noises outside overwhelmed some people's ears, people were screaming, trying to get the message across. The emergency whistle remained continuous.

While people who were enjoying the time of their lives were suddenly forced to stop and pay attention to the alarms, people then began screaming with growing panic and anxiety about the unknown. The crew began planning on how to evacuate and who they should prioritize in evacuating. Communicating through their pagers about how they would handle this, and trying to stay calm.

Nobody expected such a fire to occur on this newly sailed luxury ship.

A minute after the emergency alarms that overtook the ship were pulled, the trained crew enforced their detailed evacuation procedure, organizing teams of crew for each floor with an objective of leading as many as they could to the lifeboats.

The horrendous blasting suddenly stopped and the voice of the assigned captain was heard, "This is your captain, Daniel Spellman, speaking to our guest on board. For everyone's safety on board, I as your captain, have decided to abandon the ship. Crew and guest quickly advance to the emergency muster station and put on your life vest. We will be abandoning the ship. MAYDAY MAYDAY."The voice came to stop and the Mayday signal was sounded.

Immediately, everyone's heart suddenly pumped faster, creating adrenaline for everyone, fastening their paces. Shouting and screaming at the crew.

The crew, trying their best to calmly handle the worsening situation, is giving away as many life vests as they can, prioritizing the women and children on board.

With the tense atmosphere and with people rushing panicky to the exit, some fell, unable to get back up. Cries of children were heard, it was a nerve-wracking situation for everyone since the lifeboat can't guarantee everyone's survival it was limited, after all, they all knew lifeboats can't save everyone, it only matters who gets to them first.

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Unknown to most on board, hidden in the corner of the ship is Aziel Han, dressed in white trousers and a white sailor outfit.

The culprit of the terrifying scenario, dressed as a crew member. Was tightly bound, muscled tensed, his hands close to his chest, knuckles together and upper angle tied with a rope. His face full of sweat and his bloodshot eyes glaring with fury, facing the blond man few meters away from him.

"It looks like a few minutes from now and you're going to die a pathetic, wasteful yet pitiful death. With no one to mourn for you. I mean who do you have? Your mother. Dead. Your father. Does he even know you're his son? No one will look for your body in this ocean. Who knows if you'll even have a body after what you just did?"

The brown-eyed blonde forced a chuckle at what he said. He felt bad for this man. He tried his very best to understand this man, but what he had done wouldn't justify his past.

"I told you back then. Revenge is a waste of time. Murder won't justify Murder"

His voice turned seriously cold, its coldness rising within seconds. He was in this soon to be nothing storage compartment of this ship.

"And the fact that your own death was caused by you makes it even worse, since you can't blame anyone. Your ghost won't need to roam around looking for its murderer"

Glancing at the time in his watch, the brown eyed dressed in a full white uniform. With his hat in his other hand, he then looked back at him with his still icy cold serious stare.

"Rest in peace then. Goodbye now"

Turning his back to walk to the exit of the compartment while putting his hat back on.

His voice, which every passenger in the cruise ship can recognize since they just heard it minutes ago.

He walked with heavy steps, like it was more of a sad unwanted goodbye than a alarming scenario. Opening the heavy metal door, the sole screeching sound of the door disturbed them, it was too quiet compared to how it was just before the fire alarms rang.

Both of them knew that the ship was never on fire. Instead, there was a timed bomb planted within the ship.

That Aziel Han himself planted. That only Aziel han knows how to deactivate.

But, before he could go out of the door, Aziel Han stared with mad eyes at the back of the man who was about to leave him, to die, alone.

"You BASTARD... I WILL KILL YOU. JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU."

he shouted full of anger while struggling to try to unbind the tightly tied ropes on his hand, hearing him say that the man who bound him laughed like he heard something funny.

"Oh, now you're talking. If you get out then what?"

Slowly turning his head to him, his one hand stopping the door from closing.

"You're a mass murderer, Aziel Han. A terrorist who will be known for blowing up the Opeña Blanc. What life could you live after this?"

Turning his full body back at him, getting louder and angrier.

"People will look all over the world will be looking for you. You're going to be on the run forever. Forget about revenge, you've ruined enough livelihoods and destroyed enough family by blowing up this ship for some petty revenge. I know you're mad at the world, but there are innocent people here. A Hero is what they would label me with what I have done."

Mockingly shaking his head, he sighed.

"Well, this conversation is one of your traps, stalling me, distracting me... I hope you've lived your best life. Goodbye."

After saying his goodbye, the captain of the ship got out and closed the metal doors, resulting in a loud 'bang' sound.

Alone in the now quiet small compartment that was used as storage in the ship, his heavy breathing was the only sound he could hear. Aziel determinedly looked around looking for a sharp object or anything to help him tear the rope with friction and create an opportunity to upbound himself. But to his dismay, there was no sharp object in the small storage compartment.

Trying so hard to calm down and waiting for his sweaty hands and palms to dry. He needed a smoother surface to untangle himself. He needed to escape from here.

Rotating his wrist back and forth hard, stretching the rope. He thanked the universe that Daniel was the one who tied him up. Angrily, whenever he thought that Daniel had a life he could never have. He never knew how it was to lose everything. To be furious, to be betrayed and hungry for blood.

He felt that there were gaps in the knots of the tied rope. Aziel was desperate to loosen it, to survive, rapidly rotating his wrist. His hands was getting moister from the heat the friction was giving. It wasn't the first time he had been tied with ropes and bound, not being able to move, but just like in the past, he survived and was also determined to survive this, and avenge himself.

After a few more minutes of what seemed like forever, the struggling finally ended. He was finally able to loosen his rope and was able to break free, next he then unknot the rope by feet and finally, he was able to stand.

Heavily breathing, sweating drenched, at how hot and he was.

Breathing a sign of relief, he murmured to himself. "It's after all, the only thing you can do for me, after all the pain you made me go through", referring to the universe and Gods above.

Running to the door at great speed. He knew he couldn't waste no time since the timed bomb he hid deep within the cruise ship, couldn't be shut down. He may only have had a little time left until the bomb blows up.

He drilled the bomb onto a hidden surface and initially set the timer for an hour. As time passed, after 30 minutes, a crew member detected the bomb with a foreign object detector and investigated how to deactivate it with the cruise tools and technology.

Daniel Spellman saw Aziel by chance. Even while disguising himself a crew member, the Captain of the cruise recognized him at first glance as a imposter. He was suspicious of what Aziel might be planning but he never expected him to literally implant a bomb in his cruise.

The crew members were informed of the imposter and quickly found him. Knocking him out and when he woke up Daniel was the one facing him. He suspected that he was the one who bound him with the ropes.

As soon as Daniel and his most trusted crew were aware of the bomb, at first, they tried to deactivate it, but after they realized they were unable to do anything, since the bomb was the type that can't be touched or if touched while activated, it would blow up ahead of the set timed by the the culprit. No one really knew how to shut it off without the right people and equipment.

They needed to act swiftly or thousands of lives would be lost.

It was the captain's idea to claim it was fire, since he himself didn't know how far this bomb could destroy with its range. It will end with a destruction worse than a fire. It was simpler to explain if it was all fire, a bomb threat was more complicated than a fire.

Their only choice was to evacuate the passengers and abandon ship. Alarming the nearby ships, knowing how many important figures are boarding the cruise, the authorities and private organizations are quick to react, deploying different rescue ships and military planes.

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Being in the middle of nowhere and with the current and how dark it is didn't help with the death-threatening situations. It'll take time for a rescue to arrive. There was no time to waste. They must get away as far as they can.

Aziel must get away before this all blows up on him. He ran to the side where he knew the bomb might impacted less, far from it. He might get dozens of wounds from the sharp shards that might come in contact with his skin after the ship blew up, but at least he would survive and that was all that mattered right now.

He must continue his revenge after this. He must get his revenge. His glory.

Knowing that he couldn't wait for his saviour to arrive and whip him away from this, he took it into his own hands to survive.

He always had to fight against the odds for his life. To run. He had been alone in this line of work for forever.

He is used to it. It will all be alright.

Running with all his speed to the deck of the bow of the ship at the very end, one of the outer deck, 1, 2, 3... 'BANG'

Then it started.

The explosion.

With the first banging sound, he inhaled. Then the second explosion, it got louder and louder, like a thunder clap. glancing at the continuous flying debris in the air, he smiled widely, almost creepy.

He turned his body back and held the railings for support. He looked around him, it was dark. The ocean is even darker with its unknown depth and creatures. But at the very least it was empty.

He will jump here. It was a dead end. He only had one choice.

Inhaling as much oxygen as he can. He closed his eyes and he jumped. Feet first, then he dived in the deep dark, unknown waters.

Trying to open his eyes to see, the water stung his eyes, it was cold. It was too dark, unable to see anything, he used his other senses. Reaching out his hands, he swam forward. As quickly as his already overused body can.

Within seconds, the ship was nothing but components, broken components. Scattered all over the ocean near the ship.

Floating away, broken in pieces.