Chapter 5- Receding waves
A soft voice speaks from nowhere
"Close your eyes. Clear your mind and listen to everything around you, focus on everything you can sense, and keep going."
The voice fades behind layers of an unimaginable number of objects that touch every sense. Suddenly, the same voice opens your eyes by force.
"Did you feel it? Did you feel the way how time moved unimaginably slow?" You see a woman's warm smile in front of an ephemeral forest in the twilight.
Horus opens his eyes to find himself in the middle of a fight with the five he had been training. Hinderfin; the toughest out of the five, the shield that protects Holdborn's sharpest edges
Holdborn's twin stars of destruction.
Alexandria; a marksman whose shots could hit a man from a despicable distance
Frieda; a mage that bears the same watch Horus shows off with as much respect as he does a pencil.
And Kanonikoi's greatest brain and brawn
Erick; the most talented blade of Holdborn and Holdborn's Seventh sword God
Quinton; Holdborn's spearbearer, and Kanonikoi Anthropoi's leader. A great military mind who stays humble despite his great position.
Horus easily dodges every attack languidly as if to mock them. A single glance from his unchanging velvet eyes was enough to tell the five to go harder. Quinton obliges raining a flurry of calculated blows that corner Horus enough for Erick to land a whistling blow from below, yet Horus dismisses his blade with a single wave from the dull blade he loosely grips, quaking the earth below them as the wind dissipates and redirects the twin's bullets and spells while the whole field rumbles.
The castle of Aramus was cluttered with whispers and gossip from the servants who cleaned the rooms to the dukes who travelled for a moment with the king. "Tremors" were the main topic of these gossips, especially the location of which seemed to be the epicenter. Dawn hadn't even risen yet before the castle, but there were carriages and chariots lining the outside of the large castle which sits upon a view of the entire nation.
At the king's chambers lied the queen and the king holding each other before the king opens his eyes, he gently removes his hand from the queen's grasp and puts on his clothes before walking out onto the halls. There in the giant hall he was met with one of the maids who had a worried expression, her demeanor showed that she had just woken up, but her figure was elegant and clean as she walked up to the king.
"Many of the dukes have come forward from their manors to have a jury with you, my lord"
"And why is that?"
"Earthquakes, my lord. The dukes and duchesses are worried about the safety of their lands because of these tremors that have been happening for the past week, my lord."
"Is that so? Prepare them a meal at the dining hall, I will be visiting my office before presenting myself."
"As you wish, my lord."
At the king's office, the light from the large window behind the seat seeped through like a beam of heaven shining down as the sun rises, making the intricately crafted chair; affixed with rubies and diamonds glow brilliantly while the rest of the room fills with the same extravagant light. The table filled with stacks of papers, the bookshelves that line the walls from one end to another, and the small gemstones that are fitted on to the door as well as the free space glowed a warm peaceful light as the door is opened by the king.
Walking up to his table he hears a caw of a crow near the window, which he chooses to inspect. A black crow which grips on a scroll of papers tied together by a thick, red string, pinned with the crest of the Quillion array.
The king opens the window to let the crow inside, inviting the crow to enter with his arm raised for him to perch on. The crow obliges and rests the scroll of paper on the king's hand before leaving
Reading the letter, the king stopped to think through some things before placing it back on his desk. It was a contract request for a single voyager ship and the safety of Kanonikoi Anthropoi for a single trip. The manuscript for the contract was sent along with the request letter; it read
"I ______ shall insure the safety of the adventurer's group Kanonikoi Anthropoi for a single trip. Lending them a single voyager ship while they are accompanied by Captain Horus of the Quillion array. In return, Horus and the members of the Kanonikoi Anthropoi shall vanquish a beast that threatens to destroy the continent of Cordial and the country of Aramus, whom has also been responsible for the tremors that have been happening in the past week."
The king looks out of the window, watching as homes turn off their torches, and their doors open for another early start. The king thinks deeply for an infinitesimal amount of time before taking a quill from inside a drawer along with a tub of ink and fills in the contract and pricking his thumb with a beautifully crafted needle with etching drawn all over its thin body, drawing blood. He presses his thumb on the lower right corner of the page, imprinting his finger print on the parchment which starts to glow a bright white from the rising sun. He whispers into the paper and places it in a hidden drawing under his desk.
Back at the Quillion array's headquarters, a tremor begins for a short moment before stopping again. Inside, Horus and Kanonikoi Anthropoi train. Graceful and blending movements come from each and every one of them while Horus evades and counters every single one. Their movements are incredibly fast and every strike is launched with full killing intent, even a sword saint would fail to follow their dazzling movements that Horus seems to just brush off like nothing. Then, after managing to corner Horus for a single moment, Erick jumps from Hinderfin's shield and strikes Horus from the sky. The land thunders and roars as the ground shakes so violently that the land behind Horus cracks as his blade intercepts Erick's in the blink of an eye
"Your movements are too big!" Horus says as he flings Erick to the side with an overpowering strike that sends back even the tough Hinderfin as he turns to Quinton thrusting his spear towards Horus, which Horus tries to parry but fails, causing him to stagger after Quinton retracts his spear and changes his fighting stance, shortening his seemingly magical spear.
"Reliance on magical weaponry is a bad habit to develop, Quinton" Horus states after backing off, releasing a strange field which affects Quinton's spear, lengthening it again and knocking out the other four but Quinton.
"I found it was a practical solution to accommodate for my weakness in close quarters combat." Quinton states as he forcefully snaps the spear to his desired length.
"Carrying another spear or maybe forging a collapsible one would have been a better solution." Horus responds sheathing his sword and pulling out a dagger from his boot.
"I see, forgive my insolence." Quinton states as he readies to charge forward.
Both of them move at an incredible speed creating tremors throughout the expanded field even while Quinton protects his members. The clanging of steel and smell of blood echoes and wafts through the plain as Quinton matches Horus in speed. But then Horus lands a good hit and manages to cut off Quinton's arm, making sure to shatter the blade of his spear afterwards.
"You did great. But now is the time for your final stand." Horus states Teleporting all the members to an untouched area of the expanded field.
One by one they wake up, healing each other's injuries for a few moments while Horus waits, unsheathing his dull blade. They ready in their formation as Horus ties his hair back with a golden rope he pulled from his pocket.
Horus' eyes darken and turn crimson as he looks towards the five, sword in hand as he starts to count.
1. Hinderfin parries a blow while defending the two sisters, only losing a leg in the encounter
2. Hinderfin lands a blow to Horus' side before he gets disintegrated into dust
3. Alexandria and Frieda defend each other with a barrier and a storm of arrows.
4. Alexandria dies by getting sliced through her hand towards the center of her head, slicing it from the center.
5. Frieda casts a greater shield on all three of them and a binding spell on Horus.
6. Horus breaks through the binds that held him before getting intercepted by Quinton.
7. Horus breaks the three's shield while his blade clashes with Quinton's spear
8. Frieda buffs Quinton's every defensive attribute.
9. Quinton parries multiple of Horus' blows before his spear gives out and breaks once more.
10. Quinton dies by getting his spine pulled off along with his skull which was pierced and dragged by the guard of Horus' blade, flailing off Quinton's head and spine from it in one swift movement.
11. Frieda casts her ultimate support spell on Erick before losing the color in her eyes and blowing up Horus.
12. Horus sustained minor injuries and heads towards Erick.
13… 14… 15… Erick stands off against Horus, parrying his blows for 3 seconds
16…17…18… Erick lands small hits on Horus, before getting his pinkie finger cut off
19 Erick's sword snaps in half after Horus hits it.
20. Erick desperately tries to parry Horus' strike before getting his arm cut off
21. Erick dies by getting his head blown to bits by the hilt of Horus' sword.
Horus revives the five with a wave of the hand and lets out a small smile as his eyes turn to a rosy red, he lets down his hair as he disperses the field expansion. Multiple large holes appeared after the grounds turned back to normal. The five stand up breathing heavily as Frieda fails not to throw up as she wretches on the ground for a second as her sister comforts her and stands her up.
"You all did well." Horus says as he pans his gaze towards every single one of them as they line up in front of him. There, lied faces without a single scar or scuff however inside are memories of themselves getting brutally mutilated in the matter of seconds.
Horus opens a single door which glowed a pale gold as the door splits from the center and opens to a place to rest. Each of them goes in one by one before Horus closes the door, and but a shadow is left on the ground as the door is nowhere to be seen. Horus pulls a chair from the side of the room and stands in front of it. Patiently, he waits. Patiently he listens to all that surrounds him, the clamoring of steel in the other room, the distant voices of his crew entering and exiting the halls, chatting to each other about various topics. Horus leans back on his chair tilting his head upward, while his arms cross in unison with his legs over his dusty, and slightly torn clothing as he observes the birds that perch on the roof of glass, their distinct feathers shine and glow from the light of the morning sun above them. After a while, Horus shifts his back on to the chair and closes his eyes as he moves his head downwards, tapping his finger and humming a soft, unfamiliar tune. Opening his eyes, Horus was waiting for a meager five minutes before opening the doors to a rejuvenated five who step out one by one, stretching their muscles and facing forward with clear eyes and kempt selves with polished armor and enhanced weapons under the silence of the still air and the peaceful blue sky. Horus stands up and approaches the five.
"It is time." Horus states.
with the Five responding with gazes that change into serious ones.
After eating their last meals before heading out, all six of them move to the port where they are greeted by a butler who hands Horus a small piece of paper before leading them to the voyager ship and leaving. The ship was sturdy yet simple at a glance. However, upon closer inspection one would notice the intricacy of the work, which even a commoner would notice. Although it was hastily put together, it was good enough for the journey ahead of them.
However, unbeknownst to them, a girl with curly brown hair and a lean, thin build had smuggled herself onto the ship before them. All of them had noticed her as soon as they stepped onto the ship, however Quinton decided to teach the foolish lass a lesson which Horus agreed to. Horus ordered Quinton to cut off the plank that connected them to port early and ordered Hinderfin to raise the Anchor from the side of the boat just enough for Erick to push the Ship away from the port, and on his silent signal, the ship left the port as planned.
The girl runs from below deck with a knife in hand and desperacy in her eyes while she casts a fire spell in her other
"Stand back! Drop all your things or else…" The girl cuts herself off as she notices Hinderfin boarding the ship from the side of the boat and Erick sitting on the edge of the gun deck behind her. She never sensed their presence nor their footsteps, especially the hefty Hinderfin. She drops her dagger to the ground as she tries to run for the port which was already so far away from them, yet she desperately tried to jump off the ship which, to her dismay was already blocked off by a barrier. There she finally lost all hope and gave herself up, raising her hands up in the air as she kneels with her back towards them.
"Do what you want to me! I'm sure it wouldn't be worse than that bastard baron!" The girl yells as she hears footsteps growing closer to her, it was Frieda who holds her by the shoulder and turns her around. The girl with curls was crying warm tears as she felt that this was the end for her. Yet she was only met a warm smile as she opens her eyes which fill with tears that she dismisses as she gets enamored by Frieda's beauty. This, is the dignity of a hero.
"You'll be coming with us for now." Frieda says warmly as she wipes the girls tears off and stands her up. Looking at her closer the girl was still young; around 15 years with a smooth face covered only in dirt. She was quite short at a height somewhere around 5"5 and she was thin.
"This is a fairly perilous journey for you, so stick close to me when I tell you." Horus says to the lady as his eyes turn into a dark shade of red.
"You do not have a choice in this." Horus says again with an elegant face and terrifying eyes you could not dare disobey.
"Do you have a name?" Frieda asks, turning her attention away from Horus.
"Danica" She responds meekly
"Danica… I promise we'll keep you safe even after this so make sure to be good. Follow the white-haired man's orders no matter what." Frieda says with a comforting yet stern look towards the girl in front of her. Frieda turns her back on Danica, gravitating her dagger towards her, catching it with a satisfying clunk as it enters her hand before giving it back to Danica.
"Though none of us could possibly be injured by such a blade, it should still prove useful in keeping yourself safe." Frieda states before leaving Danica to Erick's hands for the time being while Horus walks up to the wheel.
Horus looks up at the clouds and observes his compass while he works the wheel before switching his gaze towards the 6 on the deck
"The trip should last no more than 3 days." Horus states
"I wonder if that slimy snake has the patience to wait that long." Erick replied
"I would worry more keeping that girl in check rather than bothering with that serpent." Quinton rebuts as Alexandria draws a bow from the air and fires arrows of pure white magic at almost random looking points in the sky. The other sister's beauty shined as the shockwaves from the arrows leaving her quiver made her golden hair suspend midair, and her occupied emerald eyes look strangely enamoring. Faintly you could hear her whispers leave her painted green lips. Her slim yet trained hands move infinitesimal amounts as she changes the angle of her every shot. The boat rocks back every time an arrow left her hands which none of the other five mind as they continue to prepare the ship. Frieda conjures up cannonballs which Hinderfin carries as if they were feathers in both hands, helping Erick tie them down under cloth tarps near the cannons while Quinton draws up plans inside an empty quarter below deck at an incredible pace being on his third piece of parchment so far. Danica falls in awe as even through all that is going on in the ship all of them are calm and organized. The three days had gone and went in a flash for Danica, being prepared good food and tasked with menial labor around the ship as Horus holds the ships wheel even through the night.
The sun barely rises on the ship before Horus checks his map and compass one last time.
Horus opens a white door below deck, letting out a full orchestra of faceless puppets in suits and dresses holding onto chairs, stands, and instruments in both hands with a maestro walking out last with books of sheet music, a stand, and a stick in his hands. They organize themselves as Frieda casts a ring of lights around them, illuminating their wooden structure and carefully woven suits and intricate instruments as well as making a piano for one of the puppets before heading to the main deck. The puppets tune their instruments one last time before the maestro starts. Both its hands are raised with the stick held on his right. Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake, Act II, no.14. The five on the deck ready their positions as a thick fog approaches them, Danica gets woken up by the start of the music, stretching a little and grabbing her dagger that was given a simple sheath by Quinton. The morning sun that had barely risen, fills the room after Danica leaves her quarters to the sight of the five already awake; wearing armor with their weapons in hand, Hinderfin held a Warhammer and a shield, Erick and Quinton your usual sword and spear, Frieda with a beautiful staff, and Alexandria with a modern looking rifle that is unfamiliar to Danica. A thick fog is ahead of them. Hastily she runs towards Horus at the wheel and looks around as the mist eventually surrounds them before asking Horus what's going on.
"It is about to begin. Prepare yourself and stand close to me lest you want your head flying off the side of the boat." Horus says to Danica as she looks forward to the five getting consumed into the fog.
Consumed by the fog, a few moments pass by as the sounds of the ship shifting to the waves were the only thing you could hear. Then, a bright, blinding light glows through it dissipating the fog. It was Frieda raising her staff to reveal a dozen ships filled with monsters made out of rotting corpses, maggots, and flies. The monsters barely resemble the shape of the Humans that they were before.
Osial's eyes glow in the distance as the waves slowly start to rage. Quinton begins to yell out commands as cannonballs fly out from every side of the ship, hitting the enemy ships and causing intense explosions that send shrapnel flying everywhere, hitting other enemy ships in the process.
"Proceed as planned!" Quinton states as the five pick up bows with quivers filled with arrows laced with nitroglycerin. Alexandria places her rifle on her back and picks up a bow, shooting arrows at every ship along with everybody as bullets rain down on them as well. They all aim for barrels of explosives on the enemy ships and hit all of them with incredible accuracy, destroying the masts and sails of the ships without any visible explosives.
The sea is plunged in a roaring nimiety of explosions, flying shrapnel and corpses blasted to smithereens before they even hit the shore, which was guarded by a wall of intense waves that consumed even the armies that were meant to protect the island. If not for Frieda's magic they would have been buried in the ocean floor before they even got past the armies of soldiers. Nearing close to the shore, living corpses of giants rise from the sands underneath the water. Their eye sockets were empty and their long beards and hair were filled with dirt and sand from under the sea with the rest of their skin having been peeled off by nature, revealing their deteriorating muscles while their ribs protrude from their chest as they yell out deafening screams and release an awful stench which makes Danica gag. Erick runs to the bow of the ship and stands on the edge, placing his sword in front of him and slashing forward with a whistle. The concentration that leaks from his straightforward, brown eyes as his hair is blown towards the wind along with the giants falling back into the ocean. This time, they fall down in cubes of gored blood and bones before they could even raise their weapons. A brief silence follows Erick as he lowers his blade until the chunks of rotten flesh and bones crash into the ocean creating waves that flooded the forest behind the long beach while the 7 of them stay safe inside a bubble created by Frieda before the five members of Kanonikoi jump from the boat with Horus watching from the bow of the ship and Danica standing behind him. Osial's eyes are filled with rage as he opens his mouth to the sky before his body recedes beneath the ocean floor until only his floating head remained above the volcano where he usually perched, imploding into a human like figure that had silver hair, the eyes of a snake, a cloak that had a magnificent display of the starts, and an ivory colored sword held in his muscular hand as he floats above the volcano, raising his blade to the skies and flattening the terrain and summoning grotesque monsters from below the ground which surround the five.
The puppets turn their sheet music, waiting for the conductor's signal to begin once more