Nico's eyes snapped open as the rocking motion stirred him from sleep. He found himself lying on the damp floorboards of a small boat that rocked gently in the middle of a misty lake. His head pounded, his mouth felt like sandpaper.

How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was getting his head kicked in at the tower. His heart pounded as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Taking a second look around he noticed multiple boats out in the water sailing to shore, most were ferrying the red jelly from the island.

Nico tried to move, only to feel the cold metal of chains pressed against his wrists, binding his hands behind his back. Realization about the situation hit him; as a Crest Knight, he could easily break free from ropes, but chains were another story.

After a minute of Nico trying unsuccessfully to get up without hands, a shadow fell over him, and a gravelly voice spoke. "Well, well. Look who's finally awake."

Nico rolled onto his side, squinting up at a bear of a man towering over him. Scarred leather armor, a cruel sneer twisting his lips. He carried knives on both hips and wore mismatched gauntlets, the left one new and shiny while the right one was rusted and dented. The paw print on his cheek was gold instead of the normal charcoal black. Nico had only seen his type once before. This was one of the Hound's Alphas.

The man's beady eyes glinted with malice as he smirked down at Nico. "I've been waiting for you to come to your senses, lets have a little chat."

"About what?" Nico snapped. He struggled to sit up, wincing as the chains dug into his skin. "What do you want to talk about, where are the best textile trade routes these days?"

The Alpha Hound cracked his knuckles. “You’re going to tell me exactly what you did to sabotage my tower, or you’ll be fish food.”

Nico gulped, He didn't get the feeling this guy was the joking kind but he wasn’t about to give this thug any answers. “Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just came to admire the architecture.”

The Alpha Hound growled and lunged toward Nico. He grabbed Nico by the collar and hoisted him up over the side of the boat and hanging over the water, shaking him violently. “Don’t play dumb with me!” Spittle flew from his lips as he shouted. "I know you sabotaged the tower, boy. What I want to know is how you managed it."

"Could a boy really damage a tower? Maybe it was an accident," Nico retorted, looking below at the dark uninviting water. "or maybe you just had bad security."

The Alpha responded with a fast undercut to Nico's ribs. Nico gasped, the wind knocked out of him. Just as the Alpha was pulling back for another hit, a small row boat approached.

A Hound called out from the boat. "Urso! We loaded the last of the boats, but we were only able to save half of the barrels from the fire. It won't be enough to meet the order boss, we should have stayed and finished the job."

Urso's face already looked annoyed, but now he looked furious.

"Do you think I have a choice? We were leaving today anyway. So don't question me again, unless you're wanting to die today like this kid."

Nico was only able to produce a nervous chuckle. "Whoa! Who said anything about dying? we were just having a lovely chat-" he suddenly was choking for air again from another punch to the ribs. He muttered. "-Noted. Not lovely."

Urso turned back to the other Hound. "Continue heading to Iseo, Wagons have been arranged to meet you."

The Hound bowed. "Understood." He then turned and rowed away.

Urso turned his attention back to Nico, his face contorting with looks of rage. "You think you're clever, don't you? But you won't be laughing when water fills your lungs, or should I take you back to my doghouse and chain you up? I hear Crestborns are in high demand these days."

Before Nico could even imagine what life would be like if he was sold into slavery, the air started crackling with electricity, and Nico's hair stood on end. Both he and the Urso turned their attention to the tower looming in the distance. A loud crack echoed across the lake as a massive discharge of energy erupted from the tower, causing the very atmosphere around them to tremble. The sky darkened as large clouds formed around the tower, circling around the point of the spire.

"Wh-what's happening?" Urso stammered ,putting Nico down as his bravado suddenly disappeared. Fear painted itself across his face.

Nico's eyes widened as a massive lightning bolt streaked down from the heavens, striking the tower with a deafening boom. The force of the impact shattered the tower into thousands of pieces, sending debris flying in all directions. The island on which the tower had once stood began to crumble, collapsing into the lake below.

With shock on his face, Urso whipped back to Nico, eyes bulging. "What sorcery is this?!"

Nico didn't get a chance to answer. The air around them seemed to shudder and groan. Then a tremendous blast of energy erupted from the final remains of the tower, sending a shockwave across the lake before being swallowed by the surrounding waves.

"No! Prism!" Nico yelled, his heart pounding in his chest. It all happened so fast, he couldn't process what he just saw. Violent waves churned and crashed against the boat. The small vessel rocked precariously, threatening to capsize at any moment.

Nico searched the shore line for Iseo but it was getting increasingly hard to see. The sky above roiled with storm clouds, casting dark shadows across the turbulent waters. He watched as lightning danced amid the tempest, illuminating the chaos unfolding before them. The lake had transformed into a nightmarish battleground, with debris and capsized boats strewn about like discarded toys.

"Is this your doing?!" the Alpha Hound boss snarled, gripping the edges of the boat as it threatened to overturn.

"Believe me, I've done some crazy things, but conjuring storms? Not one of them," Nico replied, his voice strained as he struggled against his chains. He needed to find a way out of this mess, and fast.

The boats anchored near the island were caught off-guard by the violent exit of the island. Waves surged, rocking the vessels back and forth with merciless force. One by one, they capsized, their occupants thrown into the churning water. Panicked cries for help filled the air, but they were swiftly drowned out by the roar of the waves.

"Help! Somebody help!" a man shouted, desperately clinging to a piece of debris as he struggled to stay afloat.

Immediately pieces of the island started raining down, slamming into the water and hitting any boats in the area, Hounds and fishermen alike.

"Help!" cried a fisherman, clinging to an overturned rowboat while his gear floated around him.

"Swim! Swim for your lives!" another voice shouted, barely audible over the tempestuous wind and crashing waves.

A large piece of debris smashed into the water near Nico and Urso's boat, causing a large wave to lurch the little boat violently. Nico and Urso tumbled to the deck. Nico's head cracked against the wood, spots dancing across his vision. The boat was tossed around on the churning waves like a child's toy boat, water sloshing over the sides.

Just then a massive piece of debris fell and clipped the side of the boat, shattering the side wall. Icy water rushed in, dragging Nico down into the dark lake. Nico gasped, his lungs burning as the water closed in around him. He kicked furiously, but the chains weighed him down, dragging him deeper into the abyss.

Think, Nico, think he told himself, his thoughts racing as quickly as his heartbeat. Images of his sister flooded his mind, her once gentle smile, now yelling at him to keep fighting.

I can't let her down. Not now.

His body ached, his limbs growing heavy as exhaustion threatened to claim him. But with one final surge of effort, he managed to kick off his boots, lightening his load just enough to struggle back towards the surface. The chains still bound his hands, but he was now getting closer to the surface.

Nico broke through the surface with a gasp, blinking water from his eyes. He kicked constantly to keep his head above water. Nico looked around but couldn't see much over the waves and debris of destroyed boats everywhere. He looked up at the storm.

"Oh no." Is all he could say as he saw another piece of debris coming his way. He kicked and wiggled to swim out of the way but to no success. The massive rock crashed into the water directly next to him, catching his chains and pulling him back under. He pulled and yanked as the rock pulled him to the bottom of the lake. After several pulls the edge of the rock holding the chain broke, setting Nico free.

He tried to swim up but was too deep. He used most of his breath just trying to get free. His thoughts ran as he realized he was going to drown. The tower, the island, Prism. They were all gone.

A dull ringing played in his ears, as he grappled for breath. The soft hum of a lullaby. A woman's voice singing. A melody he recognized instantly. His mother's song. The song she sang before bed.

I failed again. First my sister, then my mother, now Prism. I was never strong enough to protect anyone.

As black spots crowded his vision, a single thought echoed in Nico's mind. I'm sorry.

Then everything went dark.

Flashes of light and sound started piercing the veil of darkness. Screams. Splintering wood. The roar of collapsing stone. The lightning strike.

Nico's eyes flew open, and he hacked and coughed as the lake water drained from his lungs. His vision was still blurry, but he was able to make out the sight before him—He was lying face down on the shore of the lake, sand and pebbles digging into his cheek. He felt weak and numb all over, every breath an effort, each breath more painful than the last. Though it took a moment for him to register what had happened, Nico was relieved when he realized one thing: he was alive.

Managing to slowly roll onto his side, he felt aches in every joint. He lifted his head and stared at the lake. The island was gone, nothing left but a few jagged rocks jutting from the churning water. The shore was littered with wreckage - pieces of boats, abandoned possessions. And bodies. So many still forms lay strewn across the sand, pale and lifeless. Those who had survived were still like statues in a graveyard, while others shook constantly.

A strange mix of guilt and horror started to well up in his chest. He had caused this mess, but he didn't know it was going to end like this. In the past the Hounds were just another gang, nothing more than any other gang the Venetian Knights had dealt with. But now that they possessed knowledge to control inventions from Italia's ancestors, they have the potential to be just as deadly as any Crest Grand Knight. Now innocent people had paid the price for Nico's mistake.

He snapped out of his own thoughts when he saw In the distance, shouting and splashing that caught his attention. Two men were dragging an unconscious man from the lake, laying her out on the sand. Nico tried to call out, to ask if they needed help, but only a hoarse croak emerged from his throat.

Laying his head back into the sand, He wondered what his role was. Was he really a Knight? Tied up in chains choking for life isn't actually the image of Knight material. But maybe it wasn't too late. Not if he could save even one life. Summoning the last of his strength, Nico curled up and rolled onto his knees, then staggered to his feet and lurched toward the men.

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Nico's legs wobbled, refusing to support his weight. He felt like a newborn deer, unsteady and uncertain on his feet. His teeth were clenched in determination as he dug deep within himself and willed his tired body forward. When he reached the men, they looked up at him with wary eyes. Nico opened his mouth, but before he could speak, a familiar voice rang out.

"Nico! What in the King's Crest have you done now?"

Deo stood up from the unconscious man , his armor dented and soaked. His eyes blazed with anger and disappointment as he looked at all the debris of destruction around them.

Nico's face burned hot. He dropped his gaze, unable to meet Deo's piercing stare. "I'm sorry," Nico rasped. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Sorry doesn't undo the damage you've caused." Deo knelt beside the unconscious man, placing two fingers against her neck to check for a pulse. After a moment, his shoulders slumped in relief. "At least some still live. But many weren't so fortunate."

Nico shook his head. "I know. It's my fault. I should never have-"

"We don't have time for apologies now." Deo interrupted. He tried to stand up again only to stumble and fall to his knees. Nico rushed over but couldn't help with his arms still tied up. "I'm fine, just exhausted. There were a lot of people in the water thanks to you."

But before Nico could say another word a soldier ran up to the two knights, his standard Venetian brigandine soaked. "Sir Costa! We have gathered and tied up all the Hound members that made it to shore. Boats are in the water to rescue any remaining survivors."

Deo salutes the soldier. "Thank you Avito."

Avito turned to Nico with excitement on his face." Sir Cornaro, or is it just Cornaro now?"

"You can call me Nico." He replied.

"Nico, you should have seen Sir Costa in action! How he controlled the waters and rescued you, it was like watching the gods of old come down and command the water."

Nico turned to look at Deo, confused. "You saved me? How?"

Deo's face turned a shade of red. "It was nothing, Me and half of the soldiers were already sailing towards the island when it collapsed. We saw the whole thing. Luckily I saw that rock pull you under. I used a Crest power to control the water and created a current to pull you back up towards our boat."

Nico's voice cracked as he asked. " Did any of the soldiers get injured from the storm?"

Deo shook his head no. " We were far away enough that we only felt the waves."

Avito spoke next." Sir Costa! Please don't downplay what you did though, it was amazing!"

Looking over at Nico, he continued. "Sir Costa pulled out his sword and jumped into the water. With his sword pointing in your direction, the water lit up from the Crestmark on his arm and his sword glowing a bright blue color. Instantly the waters started moving like another storm was brewing, and all of a sudden you popped out of the water. I've never seen anything like it! It was an honor to have seen a Crest Knight in action Sir."

Nico was stunned, Deo saved him. He was lucky to be alive right now.

"Wait, did Deo, you did that? That must have been like a tier four power controlling all that water. How are you standing right now?"

Deo wore a smile Nico knew well, he was embarrassed. " I've been practicing. Now I don't faint from exhaustion as much as I used to."

Avito shrugged " Well it was incredible Sir. I must get back to the camp and help finish up collecting all the red jelly barrels."

As Avito turned to walk away, Nico grabbed his mail armor. "Wait Avito! Do you know if you caught the Alpha Hound?"

Avito turned his head to the side. "Alpha Hound?"

Nico continued. "He looks like a bear, large and covered in leather armor. He has a gold paw print on his cheek."

"No sir, nobody comes to mind. But we will keep looking."

Nico took a heavy breath. " Okay, thanks Avito." The soldier nodded and walked away.

Nico ducked his head. "I'm sorry Deo. You're right, I should have been more careful."

"Being a knight isn't all about strength and glory, or in your case just completing a labor of service." Deo said sternly. "It's called responsibility. It's protecting the weak, serving your Kingdom, and sometimes even saving reckless young fools from themselves."

Nico hung his head low. Silence filled in the air.

Deo studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "But maybe next time you'll at least wait for backup." He leaned in close and gave Nico's shoulder a squeeze. "You at least got all the Hounds off the island before it was destroyed and saved our soldiers from having to risk their life fighting them. Plus looking at all this red jelly scattered around, You definitely stopped something from happening. Venice should be proud, Nico Cornaro, whether or not you're officially a knight."

Nico couldn't shake the smile off his face. "Thank you, Sir Deo. That means a lot."

"Come on," Deo said, "let's go help the others. That's what real knights do, isn't it?"

Nico smiled. "That's exactly right."

Later on that morning, Nico stood beside Deo as the townspeople gathered in the square. Though exhausted from lack of sleep his foot couldn't stop moving, he refused to miss this. He imagined the joy on their faces when Deo told them the good news.

"You saved us!" cried out a baker, clutching his wife and children close. "The tower is destroyed! You have rid this town of that evil spirit. Thank you!"

Deo took a step and cleared his throat, waiting for the crowd to grow silent. "Dear townsfolk, my name is Sir Deo Costa. One of Venice's Crest Knights and servant of her people. The City of Venice heard your cry."

Deo started walking back and forth, engaging with the whole crowd as he talked. "We were sent here to help with a ghost rumor as requested by the mayor, but when we arrived we clearly saw a bigger threat. The Hounds gang has been terrorizing this town for quite some time by the looks of it. So as of this morning the army, led by Nico Cornaro and myself, arrested every Hound member on that island."

He then points to Nico. "This man entered the castle and fought your evil spirit, But not without cost. Defeating her led to the destruction of the whole island, swallowed by the lake."

The crowd listened quietly at everything Deo said. Half the crowd looked either shocked or confused. Others were staring at Nico, he could feel their judgmental stares.

When Deo finished his story, the crowd ended up clapping and cheering. Deo was a great Knight, but Nico knew he was even a better storyteller. The mayor, a portly man with an impressive mustache, stepped forward, his eyes shining with gratitude.

"This town has suffered a lot recently, but also has witnessed great courage and sacrifice." His gaze settled on Nico and Deo. "Were it not for the brave actions of Sir Deo Costa and Nico Cornaro, many more lives would have been lost. On behalf of the town, I extend our deepest gratitude for your service."

A smattering of applause rose from the crowd. Nico ducked his head, heat creeping into his cheeks. being reminded of all the destruction he'd caused, their gratitude felt undeserved.

“On behalf of our people, we offer our deepest thanks for ridding us of the Hound menace once and for all,” the mayor said, bowing low. “Please accept these gifts as a token of our gratitude.”

Servants came forward, arms laden with gold and jewels, fine silks and spices. Deo accepted the offerings with a gracious nod. “We are honored to serve the people of Venice,” he said. “May peace and prosperity find you again.”

Nico left the ceremony lost in thought. He eventually found himself at shore, his eyes fixed on the horizon, His mind drifted to all that had happened and time seemed to stand still as he processed it all. A gust of wind blew past him ruffling his unruly hair and tickling his skin, pulling him from his reverie. He turned to see Rosa standing a few feet away, watching him with a grave expression.

"Hey," Nico said, forcing a smile. "Can't believe it's all over, huh?"

Rosa shrugged, her eyes still fixed on him. "I'd say, I have only been here for a small time but I have seen the Hounds turn this town upside down. I'm glad you're okay."

Nico smiled, feeling a warmth spread through him. "Thanks, but I was lucky. I wasn't strong enough to handle it alone. Sir Deo had to come in and fix my mess."

Rosa stepped closer and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You know you remind me of my sister. Strong, passionate, wears confidence on their shoulders like a badge. But at the end of the night, worried about if they made the right decision. And just like I remind my sister, it just means you care."

Nico ripped his shoulder and turned to face the water again. "You don't understand, I ended up destroying the whole Island."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"I found your town's ghost."

"You're not serious."

"Indeed," Nico took a heavy breath. "But she wasn't a ghost at all, she was a nymph. Left in charge of the castle to make sure your town and anyone else around the lake didn't suffer from violent weather."

Rosa's voice was filled with confusion. " How is that possible?"

Nico chuckled softly for a second. "Not quite sure, even after she tried to explain it to me. Roman invention is all I can say. You should have seen the tower she was in, full on Roman machinery and flashing lights not made from any torches. It was quite a site to see."

"And you convince her to stop the storms?"

"She showed me how to stop the storms, but I didn't do it correctly. Instead I caught the tower on fire and triggered the explosion-" Nico stopped talking as he felt hands searching his back and sides. "Rosa what are you doing?"

"You don't have any burn marks. You said you caught the tower on fire but you seem unscathed."

Nico started giggling and jerked his body around to escape her probing fingers. He turned to face her but couldn't breath from the constant tickling. "Stop please! I- I can't control myself! Rosa pl- please! I'm fireproof okay??"

"What?" Rosa stopped tickling him and Nico watched as her brain tried to process what he just said, her hands still out and ready for a second attack. "Liar."

Rosa jumps at him again " Do I look like an idiot?"

Nico sidesteps her, holding his arms out in defense. " No really! My Crestmark element is fire, remember last night with those thugs following us and my sword engulfed itself in flames?"

"Yes, I know you're a Crest Knight with supernatural fire powers. Again do I look like an idiot?"

"Yes well- Wait I mean no, you don't look like an idiot. One of my gifts is that I don't get burnt from fire. It's like a necessity to have when born with a fire crest"

"Really? Like you are safe from any flames or just fires you create?" She asked, her hands now down by her sides, still looking ready to strike. Now that Nico has spent a little time with Rosa, one thing keeps bothering him. Why did it feel like she was always on edge, always ready to escape or fight. The feeling he was getting from her was making him feel jumpy, like he was about to be caught.

"Nico," she called out. "Hey, lost in thought?"

"Sorry," Nico shrugged his shoulders. "Just trying to figure out how to show you." He reaches for his sword and pulls it out, holding the blade of the sword in both hands.

"How much do you know about Crestborns?" Nico asked.

"Honesty, not much besides what you hear in sagas or in stories mothers tell to their children."

"You can thank the Great Purge for that," Nico muttered to himself. "Anyway, watch this." Suddenly fire erupted from the sword and danced around the blade. Nico took his left hand and waved it through the fire. "See?"

Rosa's eyes were wide as she slowly crept up next to Nico's sword. " Wow that's amazing- Ouch!" She pulled her hand back, doing a little dance as she sucked on the finger she burnt.

Nico laughed as he extinguished the fire. "Are you okay?"

"Yes thank you, just checking if it was real fire."

"You had to check?" Nico shook his head as he put his sword away.

"Of course! Needed to make sure you weren't doing any wizard magic to trick people."

"Rosa, you know wizards aren't real right?"

"Oh but Crestborns are? Trust me Nico, wizards are real."

Nico chuckled, knowing he lost this argument. He stood there silent again, looking at the waves. He noticed Rosa was tense again. This time he caught her looking at some rustling bushes nearby. What was she so worried about?

Rosa took a second and looked back at Nico. "Nico," she said softly. "Are you alright?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just can't stop thinking about everything that happened."

Rosa stepped closer to him, her hand on his arm. "You did a brave thing, Nico. You saved the people of this town."

"But at what cost?" he asked, gesturing to where the island used to be. "I caused so much destruction and loss. I couldn't save Prism, innocent fishermen got caught in the debris, and the Alpha Hound escaped."

Rosa's eyes softened. "You did what you had to do and I'm sure you tried your hardest. And you saved this town with honor and bravery. Isn't that what being a Knight is all about?"

"Sure, If I was a Knight. I was stripped of my Knighthood." Nico's head hung low as he kicked pebbles into the water. "That's why I'm here. Ten labors of redemption."

Rosa's eyebrows shot up. "Ten labors of redemption? That sounds like something out of a myth."

Nico nodded. "It is. After I was stripped of my Knighthood, I was given ten labors to undertake as a way to redeem myself in the eyes of the council and to become a Knight once again."

Rosa leaned in. "What kind of labors?"

Nico looked up at her, his eyes serious. "Difficult ones. Ones that will test my strength, my courage, and my heart. But I have to do them."

Rosa nodded slowly. "And you think that will make everything right?"

Nico shook his head. "I don't know. But it's all I have right now." He took a big breath. " Let's go back to town, I'm so exhausted I'm starting to think this beach looks comfortable."