"Elder Brother, have you heard about the new rumors surrounding Sullivan Camp?" she asked in a hushed voice.
"The camp on the island near Dragon's Peak, built by Sullivan himself?" he asked, seeking confirmation. Then he continued, "No, I haven't. What are these new rumors about?"
The girl hesitated before speaking once more. "Our teacher spoke about it. He said the forest surrounding the camp is haunted by phantoms. Those who venture out without their heads are found three days later, unrecognizable and covered in blood that isn't their own," she said, her voice wavering. "It's horrifying."
The boy listened carefully, his expression unreadable, then frowned slightly. "Phantoms? Those creatures from the underworld? How would they end up in that forest? Even they would get lost in such a maze," he mused before adding, "The deaths could be caused by a member of the wolf clan losing their santacha."
She nodded, gripping her sleeves. "I would love to believe that. Yet it is still terrifying. Plus, we are going to that camp soon, Elder Brother," she reminded him, her voice steadier now. "Mother said it's a chance to rank up, even though you don't need to, Asmodeus."
The boy, Asmodeus, smiled, the expression both serene and unsettling.
________________________________________________________________________________
A village came into view. Near the village gate stood a child with long white hair and deep red eyes, dressed in a black robe with a golden ribbon around their waist, a bag slung at their side.
'I have a feeling my ride didn't make it here. I'll be late if I don't find another soon.'
Just as the thought crossed their mind, a carriage stopped in front of them.
"Thank you, sir," they said, stepping in without hesitation.
"No problem, young miss. I saw you waiting and couldn't just leave you here," the man said with a hearty laugh. "So, where to, young miss?"
"Fuiyn's ship," they answered curtly, their tone flat and unbothered.
The man, unfazed, grinned. "That's quite a journey. How about we introduce ourselves on the way? My name's Han. I'm just a 20-year-old guy ranked Bet. I enjoy the happy things in life. Just call me Han."
Sekka gave a slow nod, though Han couldn't see it. "My name is Sekka. I'm a 14-year-old boy, also ranked Bet. I enjoy gems. You can call me Sekka. Nice to meet you, Han."
'That should be good enough for him.'
Han fell silent for a beat before laughing awkwardly. "Deeply sorry for misgendering you, Sekka. Your appearance could fool anyone."
Sekka smiled faintly, their expression unreadable. "I'm used to it, so it's no bother, Han. Fooling people was never my intention."
Sensing the shift in mood, Han quickly changed the subject. "So, you like gems? Do you have a collection?"
Sekka's eyes lit up, their voice gaining a rare warmth. "I have many. Would you like one? I recently found a ruby I can give you."
Han, caught off guard by the sudden change in tone, let out a surprised laugh. "Is that so, Sekka? Then I'd be happy to take the gem as payment for the ride."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~During Time Skip~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A mansion adorned with menacing white snake statues, their bodies coiled tightly around four towering pillars, stood amidst the snow. The icy wind howled, yet the statues remained eerily untouched, their carved eyes seeming to watch over the entrance.
A tall, strict-looking man stepped into view. His long white hair cascaded down his back, his cold golden eyes unreadable against the pale backdrop. His skin was clear and unblemished, a striking contrast to the dark fur-coated commander's suit he wore. Around his neck hung a snake-shaped pendant, its polished surface gleaming like his eyes. In his arms rested a pristine white book.
'The mansion never changes—always buried in snow. But the snakes... they've moved again.'
As he entered, his thoughts were interrupted by the soft voice of a young servant.
"Welcome back, Master Lopeh Voaj Severus. Everyone is waiting in the meeting room. Please follow me."
Lopeh followed the servant, his eyes briefly scanning the new decorations along the hallway.
"Preparing for the Feast of Misfortune?"
The servant nodded. "Yes, Master Adin will be hosting the feast here."
Lopeh merely nodded, his expression unreadable, and continued on.
The meeting room was dimly lit, the scent of aged wood and parchment lingering in the air. Lopeh took his seat at the head of the table, his sharp gaze sweeping over the figures before him:
A pair of siblings—short red hair, deep yellow eyes. The brother, Nikola, had slightly darker hair and was in his twenties, his presence strong yet restless.
An older man in his forties—black hair, green eyes. Ulrich. Always observant, always calculating.
And lastly, a man in his sixties—gray hair, eyes like burning embers. Arthur. A presence as unwavering as the snowstorm outside.
Lopeh spoke without hesitation.
"Greetings, everyone. Since you've all received my letter, let's begin."
His tone was calm but commanding.
"Today, we will be leaving for Serity Island. Amidst the rumors of phantoms, one of my men reported finding a cave before I lost contact with him. He claimed to have seen a dragon. We need to find that dragon and tame it."
Silence filled the room. Then, Uta, the younger of the siblings, spoke, her voice calm yet curious.
"A dragon? And then you lost contact with him? On Serity Island? First phantoms, now dragons. How interesting, Severus."
Her brother Nikola crossed his arms. "Uta is right. Phantoms and dragons on one island? Dragons never leave Dragon's Peak, and they won't show themselves to just anyone. As for the phantoms… they come from the underworld. If that rumor is true, someone opened the gate."
A tense pause followed. Then Ulrich spoke, his expression tight.
"Nikola, the only person capable of opening the gate is Adin, and right now he is preparing for the yearly feast as the pope of the God of Misfortune."
Nikola slammed his palm against the table, standing abruptly. "That makes it even worse, Ulrich!"
Before tension could rise further, Uta placed a gentle hand on her brother's shoulder, her grip grounding.
Lopeh raised his hand, commanding silence. His gaze shifted to Arthur.
"Arthur, what do you think of this?"
Arthur looked out the window, watching the snow gather along the frozen ground. His voice, rough yet steady, broke the quiet.
"There are other ways to get phantoms into the living world. Ways that should never be used. But the phantoms are not our priority; it is the dragon. Sir Lopeh, how do you say we deal with that?"
Lopeh's golden eyes gleamed. He had already anticipated this question.
"Dragons are powerful creatures. If there is one on Serity Island, it could pose a significant threat. Uta, Nikola, find the lair. Arthur, ask the locals about the rumors. Ulrich, once the siblings have confirmed that there is a dragon, ensure that the tools needed for taming one are ready."
Uta tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharp. "What about the phantoms? Should we be concerned about them?"
Lopeh shook his head. "Uta, they are our secondary concern. Focus on the dragon. However, if we do encounter any phantoms, deal with them swiftly and report back. We cannot afford any distractions from our goal."
His voice carried finality.
Then, Lopeh rose from his seat. "We leave for Fuiyn's ship at dawn."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Time Skip~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Master Sekka, we have arrived at your destination."
Sekka gazed out the carriage window as Han spoke, then let out a soft sigh.
"I told you not to be so formal... but thank you. The second 'thank you' is for your kindness. I hope to see you again at the end of summer, Han."
As he stepped out, Sekka handed Han two large rubies.
Han's eyes widened in shock. "You are the kind one, Master Sekka. I will use them well. Enjoy your time at the camp."
Sekka nodded in response before turning away, stepping toward the ship.
Once inside, he wandered the corridors, familiarizing himself with the vessel's layout.
This ship is enormous... I wonder how long it took to build. How much did they pay the builders? Or did they use magic?
As his mind wandered, his gaze landed on two siblings with striking blue eyes and silver-gray hair. The older one's hair cascaded to his shoulders. They both wore black robes cinched at the waist with soft pink ribbons.
The Alter siblings are here as well. I wonder if they know when the captain will arrive.
With that thought, Sekka approached them and offered a polite bow.
"Excuse me, sirs, would you happen to know when the captain will be arriving?"
The siblings turned toward him.
"Very sorry, m'lady," the younger one began.
"But we are as clueless as you," the older one finished.
Sekka blinked but quickly concealed his reaction.
"I see. That is a shame. Thank you." He turned to leave.
"Oh, m'lady, might you tell us your name?" the older one asked.
"In turn, we should be friends," the younger one added with a grin.
Sekka hesitated. Friends?
Glancing back, he bowed once more. "My name is Sekka. A pleasure to meet you both."
The younger sibling's eyes lit up.
"My name is Damian, and—"
"My name is Athanase," the older continued.
Then, in perfect unison, they both said, "Pleasure to meet you, Sekka."
They laughed together, and Sekka couldn't help but think, They act just as I've heard.
Damian tilted his head. "Sekka, hm? That name sounds familiar."
Athanase suddenly brightened. "Ah! It seems we've misgendered our new friend, little brother—for Sekka is the boy who bested the Uriun Household genius in the Alorative Games!"
Damian's grin widened. "Oh, so we have a smart new friend! Sorry about that, Sekka."
Sekka sighed, though there was no real frustration behind it. "It's fine. I'm used to it… and it seems even the Alter siblings know of my win."
The brothers chuckled, their identical smiles making it hard to tell them apart.
—- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —-
On the top deck, a broad-shouldered man stood tall, clad in a deep blue commander's suit. His jet-black hair was tousled by the wind, and his piercing blue eyes mirrored the vast, restless sea.
"It seems Lord Oizys will awaken this year, Master Sullivan," he murmured to the man behind him.
The one he addressed—Sullivan—had dark brown hair, and a strip of cloth concealed his eyes. He responded with a measured tone.
"Indeed, Merlin. Adin must be dancing with glee. But to think I would witness the resurrection in my lifetime… Something that has not occurred in millions of years." He exhaled, a smile curving his lips. "Ever since I was a young lord, I dreamed of seeing this moment. Thousands of years have passed, and at last… the lord whom King Yugo put to rest shall rise once more."
The commander's expression darkened, his frown deepening. "Merlin is a name of the past, Master Sullivan."
Sullivan let out a hearty laugh before nodding. "You always hated that name, Fuiyn."
For a moment, neither spoke. The ship rocked with the restless waves, the sky thick with the promise of an oncoming storm.
Then Sullivan's smile faded as he turned his face toward the horizon. "The sea is rougher today. Gilmore's burden is coming."
—- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- — —- —- —- —- —- —- —- — —- —- —- —- — —- —- —- —-
A girl with ash-blonde hair and striking green eyes approached the siblings, her steps poised with confidence and grace. She appeared to be of a similar age to the boys, her demeanor polished yet carrying an air of superiority.
"Excuse me, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Aliena Dawn of the esteemed Dawn household, Rank Alef. I never expected to meet the renowned Alter siblings here—"
Before she could finish, Damien's expression darkened, his usual playfulness vanishing.
"M'lady," he interrupted smoothly, his voice tinged with polite disapproval, "is it not rather rude to ignore our friend and cut into our conversation so abruptly?"
Athanase nodded in agreement, his tone shifting into the refined speech of nobility. "Treating one of our Rome as if they were Chernobog would anger even Elpis."
Sekka remained silent, observing the exchange with a resigned sigh. 'I don't mind if she ignores me.'
Aliena's eye twitched ever so slightly at the rebuke. Then, with a well-practiced elegance, she bowed lightly, her gaze finally shifting to Sekka.
"Penthos engulfs me, for I have placed Atius upon you," she murmured in the formal language of apologies. "I deeply regret my oversight, miss. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me."
Sekka held back another sigh. 'Speaking informally out of spite? I've already earned an enemy, and the camp hasn't even begun.'
Still, he maintained a composed expression, offering Aliena a polite bow in return.
"It is truly an honor to meet someone of such high status, Lady Dawn." A warm but distant smile graced his lips. "My name is Sekka."
—- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —- —-
"I think it's time to set sail," Fuiyn declared as he descended from the quarterdeck, his commanding presence drawing everyone's attention.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Captain Fuiyn, and I'll be your guide across the waters to your destination." His voice was firm and clear, cutting through the murmurs as he took in the gathered group.
"Now, let me make one thing clear—Gilmore's Burden is expected to arrive within the next two hours, and it will last for three days. The sea will be rough, and the wind will be unforgiving. If any of you doubt your ability to withstand the hardships that await, you may leave now."
He scanned the group, eyes lingering on each face, waiting to see if anyone would step back. The air was tense, and the silence stretched longer than necessary.
After a long pause, a subtle smile crossed Fuiyn's lips as he saw no one moving. "Your chance to leave has passed. May Narain bless you all on this journey."
With that, he turned away, his voice rising as he shouted orders to prepare the ship for departure.
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
"Sekka, we should head to the lower chambers to find a room for all three of us," Damian said brightly, clearly excited.
A startled yelp escaped from The Dawn. "B-but what about me—" She was cut off once again by Athanase.
"Yes, Sekka. It's best we find a room now; there are so many people on the ship. We wouldn't want to end up with a cramped space."
Sekka sighed, the weight of the situation not lost on him. 'They're ignoring her on purpose.' He nodded in acknowledgment. "I saw a room that can fit four people. It should still be available."
Sekka started walking, the Alter siblings and The Dawn following closely behind.
"So, uh, Miss Sekka, was it? What household are you from?" The Dawn asked, trying to keep the conversation going despite her clear discomfort.
"None, M'lady. I'm a commoner. It's truly a blessing to speak with nobles such as yourselves." Sekka's tone remained calm, though a slight edge of sarcasm lingered.
The Alter siblings burst into laughter at the response.
"A commoner beat Helios? That's gotta sting!" Athanase laughed, barely able to catch his breath.
"If that's the case, we'll protect you, Sekka," Damian added, grinning from ear to ear.
However, The Dawn's expression twisted, her lip curling with disdain. "A commoner?" she spat. "Talking to nobles as if you belong among them? How revolting. Someone who doesn't even know the gods."
The change in atmosphere was immediate. The siblings' gazes sharpened, their playful demeanor vanishing as if a switch had been flipped.
"Sekka, I think we can find another roommate. Lady Dawn has Pandimus hanging over her," Damian said, his voice suddenly steely. He grabbed Sekka's hand, pulling him away with force. Athanase followed closely, both leaving The Dawn standing alone in the corridor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~With Lopeh~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Merlin's beard, Lopeh, he's hiding something," Ulrich said, a deep frown tugging at his features.
"Mister Merlin is always hiding things, Ulrich. No one even knows why he changed his name, why he built this ship, or why he left the throne. So many mysteries," Uta remarked, sighing heavily, while her brother chuckled under his breath.
"I don't think that's what Ulrich meant, Sister Uta," Lopeh said, his voice calm as he continued reading his book.
Uta, undeterred, pressed on. "Well, I'm just saying that everyone hides things. Take Lopeh's book, for example—it's empty. What is he reading? We'll never find out." She shook her head with a knowing smile, and Nikola nodded, his gaze shifting toward Lopeh.
"Severus, what's in that book?" Nikola asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
Lopeh looked up from his book and smiled. "As Uta said, you'll never find out." He winked, then returned to reading, his tone teasing.
"But yes, Ulrich, Merlin is hiding something, and we will figure it out tonight. Don't worry." Lopeh's voice dropped in seriousness, though there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Arthur, standing by the window and staring out at the sea, muttered softly, "Poor Merlin must have met Aipotu. The phantoms have been summoned, but by who?"
The room went silent, the weight of Arthur's words hanging heavily in the air. Lopeh closed his book with a snap and looked around the room.
"The snakes have moved again. Loki is active once more." His voice carried the finality of a revelation, sending a ripple of tension through the group.
Uta frowned. "Three gods and a dragon. This mission is going to be more of a hassle than I thought."
Ulrich nodded gravely. "May Irene bless us."
Nikola chuckled, breaking the heavy silence. "Don't add another god, Ulrich!" His laughter filled the room, lightening the mood.
The others joined in the laughter, the tension momentarily forgotten as the storm outside seemed to calm, even if just a little.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two hours later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A boy with raven hair and hazel eyes walked through the halls of the ship, his steps echoing softly against the wooden floors as he searched for the dining room.
I'm lost again, the boy sulked to himself, his frustration growing. Just as he was about to give up, three figures appeared before him.
"Hey, kid, are you okay?" the scariest of the three asked, her voice surprisingly gentle.
The boy's eyes widened, and he sobbed quietly. "Y-yes, I'm lost. I can't find the dining room."
"Well, you should follow us," one of them said with a warm smile. "We're headed there."
The boy, unsure but feeling a bit safer, nodded. Not like I can make my way there on my own, he thought. He followed them, his steps slower now.
"How about we introduce ourselves?" the first one asked, her tone light. "Can't stay strangers forever."
The second one chuckled. "Weird, the first one laughed first."
"I'm Damian," the first boy said with a grin. "And I'm Athanase," the second added.
"Nice to meet you, kid," they said together.
The last one, the one who had spoken so gently earlier, spoke now. "My name is Sekka. Nice to meet you." Her voice was soft, and to Ash, it felt oddly reassuring.
"I-I'm Ash," the boy stuttered. "Nice to meet you too. Uhm, thank you for helping me." He smiled faintly, grateful for the kindness.
"How about we be friends, Little Ash?" Damian said brightly, his grin widening.
"Hm, 'Little Ash' sounds weird. How about Ashy Boy?" Athanase offered with a playful smirk.
"Amau," Sekka interjected softly, her tone serious.
The siblings blinked, then nodded in approval. "Amau? We like it. It sounds adorable," they said together.
Ash blinked, confused. Amau? Where did Sekka get that from? he wondered aloud.
"Miss Sekka, where did you get 'Amau' from?" he asked curiously.
The siblings started to snicker as Ash referred to Sekka as "Miss." Is she not a miss? Ash thought, his confusion deepening, but was quickly cut off by Sekka's answer.
"It's simply your name, in the Lost Continent's language," Sekka explained with a frown. "Do you not like it?"
Ash shook his head quickly. "No, I love it—Mi—uhn, Sungai." He sputtered out the words awkwardly, making the siblings raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Sungai?" Sekka repeated, thier voice laced with curiosity.
"Y-yes," Ash stammered, feeling embarrassed. "You... look scary like a river, but you sound calming like one too."
Sekka's frown turned into a soft laugh. "Thank you, Amau." they gave him a gentle smile before turning toward the dining room.
As they entered, Ash's eyes widened at the number of people already gathered. Even the captain was sitting at one of the tables. Who are they? Ash thought, noticing a group sitting off to the side, their presence seemingly out of place among the students.
He tugged on Sekka's robe, his voice quiet. "Sungai, who are they? They don't look like students. Uhm, one of them has the same hair color as you."
Sekka glanced over at the group Ash was referring to. "Maybe they're with the captain," they said calmly.
"This food is amazing, Sekka!" Damian exclaimed, grinning as he began filling their plates. "Amau, you have to try it."
Athanase nodded enthusiastically, and before Ash could respond, his plate was already piled high with food. He smiled awkwardly, feeling overwhelmed by the generosity, and dug in.
The noise of the dining room filled his ears, but for the first time in a while, he felt like maybe, just maybe, he could find his place here.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Outside, the storm raged. Rain fell in heavy sheets, thunder booming in the distance. A sudden flash of lightning split the sky, striking the ship's sails. Blue flames erupted upon impact, crackling unnaturally against the soaked fabric.
The crew, startled by the blaze, rushed onto the deck, their movements frantic. But before anyone could act, the captain raised a hand, his sharp voice cutting through the chaos.
"Stand down."
The fire did not spread. It writhed and curled, as if alive, refusing to consume anything beyond the struck point. Then, slowly, it began to shift.
A dragon took form—its serpentine body coiled and fierce, its fiery wings stretched wide against the stormy backdrop. The crew stood frozen, their eyes wide with fear and awe. But before they could make sense of what they were seeing, the dragon twisted, its body warping into something far more sinister.
A hollow-eyed creature emerged from the flames, its mouth an endless void that seemed to swallow the very light around it. The fire darkened, turning into a deep, menacing purple, its heat suffocating. Most of the crew staggered back, their instincts screaming at them to flee.
Only eleven remained.
The flames pulsed, and then—it spoke.
"Haaa-tred g̴̡̧͉͕̠̖͎̹͎̱̝̳̠̩͉̏̀̋r̶͖̩̱͔̞͔͕̭̟̙̻̙͎͆̂͛̀͑̃͛̃̉̍͑̈́̾͗͒̃͜o̴̡̭̘̝̦̝̩̫̎̒͑̽͂͌̆̆͑̇̈́̕͝͠ͅw̶̨̠̺͓̱̝̖͙̋̑̈̂̏͂͆̆́́͆̍͘͠s̵̨̛̜̭̩͕̟͓̼̗̥̺͈̎̈̊͊͌̅͂͑ in the deeepths ô̸̧͙̞̤̳̹̲̼͗̌͋͌̈͂̈́̉̕f̸̦̙̹̺̮̥̖̟͉͇̉̾͛̆̈́̃̓̊͝͠ ̶̖͖̫̥̩͙̪̗̱̔̄͛͑́̿́͂͒̑̅͘͠ y̸͔̩̱̯̘̓͆̂̾͆̀̐o̴̧̧̟̯͚͎̰̥͕͎̠͚̗̻̞̥̅̀́̿̄̇̍̓̆͘u̵̖̯̰̝̭̽̒͒̈́̆̒́́r̸̨͕͈̖̙̣͔̲͇̰̞̜̖̿̔͆̀̎̌̾̕people... and Phantoms appear. Deeeath w̷̧͆̓̅̂i̷̧̦͍͕̻͎̺̣͙̞̝̊̐̇͊̈́͐͜͠ļ̷̧͕̼̖̰͉̦̰͚̦̱̗͉͖̈́̌͜ͅl̷̢̢̲͚̺̠͎͆̆̀̈́ riiise once Oni emerge. Puuut an ē̸̩̮̳̃̽̋̅̽͗̇͘n̸̼̳̾̿̕d̶̢̮̥̣̩̻͕̼̲̃̐̉̏̂̈́̉͜͝ to it, Mer-lin... or currrse t̸̡̤͐͋h̴̛̛̛̘͑̓̑̽̋̈̊̓̃̚e̷̢̝̙̦̤̩̺̔͆͘ Thaames w̸̭͙̫̰̱̖͈̣̦̗̄̾i̸̛̠̥̥̱̝̣̺̗̳̳͕̮͉͈̽̋̚͜͝͠t̸̡̛̼̩̰͕̜̒̈̓̅̀͌̄̉̕h̴̢̡̨̦̮͍̞̼͚̤̻̜̔̏̐͛̀̓̅̓͝ it."
The voice slithered through the air, as chilling as the wind howling through the masts. And then—silence. The fire vanished, leaving behind nothing but the sound of rain and the stunned expressions of those who had borne witness.
"S-Sungai, what was that? I'm scared," Ash whimpered, his small hands clenching the edge of Sekka's robe.
"Aipotu," Sekka murmured, his tone unreadable.
Lopeh's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "The God of Nightmares," he mused. "Seems our dear captain has some explaining to do."
Fuiyn frowned. "I never thought you'd answer a child's question, Severus."
Ash peeked out from behind Sekka, confusion clouding his eyes. "Sungai, I don't think the guy with the same hair color as you is with the captain…"
Sekka nodded, confirming his suspicion. Fuiyn, however, stiffened before slowly turning his gaze toward Sekka.
"His name is Commander Severus. He's the commander of the Dead Continent Kingdoms."
Lopeh's smirk widened. "To know my name when you're but a simple commoner," he mused. "Who are you?"
Before Sekka could answer, Fuiyn spoke with quiet finality.
"A Thames."
The reaction was immediate.
Lopeh's smirk faltered for just a fraction of a second before he chuckled, shaking his head. "Nice try," he said smoothly. "Thames have eyes that shine like crystallized lilacs."
To Ash's shock, the siblings beside Sekka—Damian and Athanase—nodded in agreement. Even the mad commander didn't deny it.
'Why are they nodding? Who are the Thames? Why is the captain acting so strange? And why did Aipotu come to us?'
The questions swirled in Ash's mind, making his head spin. A warm hand rested on top of his head, grounding him. Sekka.
"Amau," Sekka said gently. "The captain has invited us to his room."
Ash hesitated, then nodded. "Mhm… Yes. Thank you, Sungai."
As they followed Fuiyn into the depths of the ship, the storm outside continued to rage—but Ash couldn't shake the feeling that something far worse had just begun.
___________________________________________________________________________________
"Now that everyone is seated, I think I owe you an explanation," Merlin said, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion.
"We'd like that, yeah, Fuiyn," the pretty redhead huffed, crossing her arms.
"Mister Captain, why did Aipotu come to us?" Ash asked, his confusion mirrored by everyone in the room. "And who are the Thames?" He hesitated before adding, "Why did you act so weird when I called Sungai 'Sungai'?"
A shocked laugh escaped the black-haired man. "This kid basically asked all our questions, but I have a few more—"
The siblings cut him off. "Answer our Amau's questions first," they said in unison.
Ash turned back to the captain while the Crazy Commander frowned.
"Aipotu is the God of Nightmares," Merlin explained, his voice serious. "But his true role is to warn people of disasters. Though I don't fully understand the dragon, the phantoms are obvious."
The old man by the window glanced outside, his expression grave. "Lopeh, it's best to trust the captain on this."
The room fell silent as the Crazy Commander let out a sigh. "I'll tell him after he answers all our questions."
Merlin nodded. "The Thames, from De Fon Thanatos Redaiu, are the strongest noble household in the world. They reside in the Royan Kingdom, and their power is unparalleled. The household is known to have two children, a boy and a girl. What Lopeh said about their eyes is true."
He turned to Sungai and hesitated. "Miss— I am terribly sorry—" The captain paused, took a deep breath, and corrected himself. "Sir Sekka, I apologize for my mistake."
Sungai simply nodded but did not smile. Merlin took it as a sign to continue.
"As for your last question, child, I cannot answer you." He turned to Ulrich. "Now, Ulrich, what was your question?"
Ulrich smiled slyly. "What are you hiding, Merlin?"
Ash frowned. 'Merlin? As in Merlin, the King of Magic who disappeared years before I was born? But how could the captain be Merlin?'
He tugged gently on Sekka's robe. "Merlin?"
Sungai and the siblings spoke in unison.
"I thought he died," Damian gasped, while Athanase nodded.
"So, what magic did you use to build this ship?" Sungai asked, his eyes shimmering with curiosity—a sight that visibly startled the captain.
'If my Sungai believes he is Merlin, then he is Merlin.' Ash nodded to himself.
The flustered Merlin finally answered, "Levitation magic and the skill 'Invisible Hands.'"
Sungai's eyes sparkled like gemstones for a moment before he pulled out his notebook and began jotting something down. At the same time, the Crazy Commander opened his white book and stared directly at Sungai.
His gaze was terrifying.
'Why is he looking at my Sungai like that?' Ash could only frown, his fear of the Crazy Commander paralyzing him.
"Thank you, Mister Fuiyn," Sungai said calmly, confusing everyone except the Crazy Commander, who mumbled something under his breath.
"You're not calling me Merlin?" the captain asked, laughing.
Sungai shook his head slightly. "There must be a reason you left that name behind, so I have no reason to use it."
For a brief moment, the ship seemed to tilt—just slightly, just enough to make Ash blink. The flickering lanterns cast strange, shifting shadows, and a faint ringing filled his ears.
Merlin laughed aloud, but the pretty redhead frowned.
"Merlin, you never answered the question," he pressed.
Merlin smiled faintly. "Aipotu told me to leave, so I listened. That is all." His tone grew firm. "Now, it's past your bedtime. Your new room is one hall across."
Before Ash could protest, his body moved on its own.
Why are we leaving? We didn't get to ask more questions. Why can't I stop moving?
His thoughts grew clouded until—
—he woke up in his room.
Sungai lay beside him, while the siblings rested on the other bed. The sound of rain pattered against the window.
"Breakfast will be in three hours. We slept through the night," Athanase said from somewhere in the room.
He's already up? Ash tried to speak, but no words came out.
Why can't I talk? What's going on?
Tears streamed down his face as he silently cried. Faces of his new friends flickered in his mind.
Friends? Since when do I have friends?
The faces darkened, and suddenly, the room began to melt. The sound of rain twisted into distorted screams.
What is this? I'm scared. Sungai, help me!
…Sungai? Who is Sungai? I don't know anyone by that name—
A screech pierced his thoughts.
Ash turned to see the creature from the fire—the one the god had shown him—writhing and dying before him.
"Amau."
Sekka—no, his Sungai—pulled him close. "You fainted. We've found the reason."
His Sungai looked toward the Crazy Commander, who stood over the creature.
"A phantom this far out… then the summoner is on the ship," the Crazy Commander said, looking uncharacteristically sane yet visibly furious.
The siblings were busy tending to the other afflicted passengers.
We're no longer in the captain's room. This is the infirmary.
Ash rested against his Sungai. "Wh-what happened, Sungai?"
A new voice answered.
It was a handsome redhead.
"You fainted, so we brought you here. But when we arrived, we found many others also affected. Lopeh said the mana was unsteady. Then we discovered a phantom on the ship."
So that terrifying thing the god had shown them was a phantom.
Ash remained silent. "Sungai, I'm scared."
His Sungai placed him on his lap and began humming a soft melody.
"Sungai will never leave me, right?" Ash asked, his voice trembling.
"Stupid thinking," Sungai replied gently.
Ash smiled faintly and drifted off to sleep.