SVAN CHORYTH
Nothing compared to the clarity that came from firsthand experience. There was something about it that revealed our true feelings—at least, that was what I discovered on this sea voyage. What I thought might be an adventure turned into a revelation; I genuinely despised being out in open water. The crashing waves and the endless horizon were not the liberating escape I had imagined. Instead they became a source of unease that settled deep in my bones.
I hated the way the ship rolled with the waves, each rise and fall felt threatening. The air was thick with the scent of salt and damp wood, overwhelming my sense of smell, which triggered a consistent nauseous feeling. The constant creaking of the vessel felt ominous as if it were an aging beast groaning under its own weight, as each crash of wave sent a shudder through the hull.
We’d spent two weeks sailing on the open waters, and everyday felt the same—boring. I didn’t leave my cabin often, but when I did, hoping to break free from the suffocating routine, I was confronted by the same unchanging conditions. The only relief from the dreariness of the voyage came during meals or whenever Mom, Yukina, Evren and I were gathered. We would talk, joke and make fun of each other, a necessary distraction from what awaits us.
We were already in the middle of war, yet to me, it felt like a distant dream, as if the chaos and clamour belonged to another realm entirely. I had been involved in series of life and death situations as a result of the ongoing war, but the full picture of it hadn’t properly immersed in my subconscious. This was probably because my understanding of war was shaped by what I had read from books, and I was yet to witness that reality first-hand.
The Imperium was prepared, and word had it that they were ready for a full blown incursion in the North. This meant that the vivid ideas in my head were close to becoming a reality.
Although the situation had changed completely, it still fell within the range of outcomes that the Azkhans had anticipated. We couldn’t use transport gates as a means of transportation to the Northern republic because all long distance gates were heavily guarded by troops of Imperial soldiers.
We set sail for the Northern republic with twenty-five ships, each with a carrying capacity of five hundred men. We took a circumnavigating route around the Southern Republic which made the voyage four times longer than its intended duration. The choice of route was due to two reasons. First, it was essential to gather supplies from the island Kingdom of Weldhem, east of Academroth. Secondly, the Azkhans aimed to steer clear of the Imperial Navy which patrolled the waters between the Southern republic and the Imperium.
One thing I learned and found interesting during the course of our journey was the military structure of the Azkhans. They were divided into units consisting of two hundred and fifty soldiers, each led by a unit commander. Every unit comprised two hundred and forty vanguards, and ten lieutenants, with each lieutenant overseeing a squad of twenty-five men. Their organization was intriguing, leaving me eager to witness its effectiveness in the heat of battle.
We didn’t have much of a choice than to conform with the same organization as the Azkhans. The Choryth House didn’t have any formal military, so it was safe to say that we weren’t well versed in war tactics. We were able to gather a thousand men, including skilled adventurers who volunteered to join. These men were divided into the units, just like the Azkhans. Mom, Yukina, Evren and I were ranked as commanders as each of us took charge of a unit.
Mom was against the idea initially, stating that it was risky, as the division would make it impossible for her to keep an eye on us during battles. None of us paid heed to her worries, we were rather excited with the development. When she voiced her complaints and the risked involved, Yukina teased her, saying,
“You shouldn’t be worried about our safety, we will be fine. You’ve already killed us once, remember? We won’t be dying for a second time.”
No matter what she said, we were disinterested in listening, so she was left with no choice than to give up. It was natural for her to be worried but I felt she was worrying too much. She signed up for it, so she knew what risks were involved.
I stared long and hard at the map lying on the small table in front of me, with its details revealing the vast expanse of the Northern republic. The geographical differences between the Northern and Southern Republics were immediately evident upon looking at the map. The Northern Republic was larger, and had more territories than the Southern Republic; seven compared to the southern’s four. Its geography made it difficult to properly distinguish between the north and south as the east and west were more apparent. The seven territories of the Northern Republic were Duskenfell, Scalzhar, Nythralis, Iron Vale, Thaul, Gaulderheim, and Feywild. Duskenfell, occupied the eastern region while Gaulderheim lay in the west. Nythralis occupied the Northwestern region, with Thaul situated in the Southwest. The central part of the Northern Republic was split between Scalzhar, Iron Vale and Feywild. Scalzhar lay on the south, with Iron Vale and Feywild on the northeast and northwest, respectively.
As I stared at the map, all I could think of was the possibility of completing the conquest of the Northern Republic. It wasn’t a board game of conquest but a real life event that was about to take place—a bold, risky and dangerous one. Deep down, I felt that our chances were slim. I couldn’t shake off the feeling we were in for a rude awakening from the Imperium. We had little to no knowledge of how prepared the Imperium was, but it didn’t matter as we were past the point of no return.
A knock sounded at my door, and the messenger delivered a concise message,
“Commander Svan, your presence is required in the wardroom.”
Curious to find out why I was summoned, I left for the wardroom immediately.
I was a bit surprised to find my mother seated with Vayr and Sophia.
“Have a sit,” Vayr voiced.
On the table was a replica of the map I had in my room. Pointing at a location on the open waters, he said,
“We are here, exactly ten miles ashore from the port city at Duskenfell. We need to take control of that city before our fleet arrives there. Word has it that every port in the Northern Republic is heavily surveilled by the Imperial military, so we need a safe landing for our fleet to avoid being drowned before we make shore.”
“So why does it sound like a problem?” I asked.
“Discretion.”
“So, to summarize your intentions, we take a small force, enter the city, kill every Imperial soldier, and make sure our fleet is able to dock.”
“Yes, but we aren’t taking a small force, just two people,” Vayr replied.
I scoffed,
“Just two people?”
“Yes, just two. Our sources confirmed that there are no members of the Order of Death stationed at the City, and only a fighting force of about a two hundred and fifty men, primarily focused on reconnaissance. If our fleet gets within range of their surveillance, they will attack immediately, simultaneously requesting backup. Our problem here is vulnerability at their shoreline. We can confirm that they have mana devices capable of destroying ships, so, we can’t afford to confirm how effective those devices work.”
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“Okay, so why am I here?” I asked.
“With every situation accounted for, I believe it’s best you went with her Majesty. Firstly, it provides a disguise as both of you will pose as fishing siblings. Secondly, I have no doubt that both of you can take care of two hundred soldiers. However, if you encounter an entirely different scenario, I trust you with your unique abilities to ensure her Majesty’s safe return.
Mom looked at me and asked,
“Are you up for it?”
“Sure,” I replied.
“Alright, let’s get you ready,” she said, giving me a reassuring pat on my back.
For the first time, she didn’t nag about my safety or security which came off as a bit of a surprise. She seemed to have finally let go of her constant worries, trusting that I could handle things on my own. There was a sense of confidence in her eyes, as I could feel the weight of her expectations lifting, replaced by a quiet trust in me.
I was handed an outfit that I instantly recognized. It was the same style worn by Vixra and Crit during our meeting in Ausbane forest. Just as I was about to complain that it did not fit into the discretion we were suppose to portray, I was handed a sackcloth and a straw hat.
“Okay, this does the trick,” I voiced inwardly.
We were led above deck, escorted by a few Azkhan soldiers. Mom, Yukina and Evren were also present. In the presence of the Azkhans, Yukina and Evren suppressed any signs of familiarity, maintaining a formal demeanour. Normally, they would be all over me, but this time, they simply said,
“Be safe.”
We were lowered into a fishing boat. The vessel, a sturdy craft, about twenty-five feet long, crafted from dark wood that had been smoothed by countless waves. Its bow rose gracefully, resembling the head of a sea serpent, while the stern was broad and flat, providing ample space for movement.
The deck was a mosaic of textures, revealing the rich grain of the wood beneath. In the centre, a large, round hatch led down to a storage hold, where the supplies and gear were kept.
Around the edges, nets draped over wooden pegs, heavy with silvery fish caught earlier in the day. Some fish were still wriggling, ensnared in the fine mesh, while others lay in open containers made of woven reeds and bound with twine, each one filled with salt to preserve the catch. Above us, a simple sail was furled, and its fabric, a faded canvas that once held vibrant colours.
Every ship in our fleet had come to a halt, their anchors dropped. It was evident that their next course of action solely depended on us.
We had drifted quite a distance away from the fleet until the sea current weakened, preventing us from going any further.
“Do you know how to sail a boat?” I asked Sophia.
“No, I don’t,” she replied.
“Funny, they put two people on a boat without inquiring if they could sail it,” I said mockingly.
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” she said confidently.
“I can just manipulate the current around the boat, while you navigate with the compass.”
“What part of the word ‘discretion’ don’t you understand?” I asked moving to the sail.
I unfurled the canvas, allowing it to catch the gentle breeze, propelling the boat forward. Then, I adjusted the angle of the tiller, steering it into the wind to gain momentum.
“Where did you learn how to do that?” Sophia asked.
“Books. Hopefully we don’t encounter strong currents because adjusting the sail would pose a problem.”
We sailed wordlessly for a while until I asked her,
“Why would they send you out for a mission like this? There are other options that would have yielded the same results.”
“It was my choice. I told Vayr I wanted to do it,” she replied.
“I think you are too odd to be royalty. You don’t act like one.”
I paused momentarily,
“I remember you telling me I enjoy putting myself in dangerous situations, like I always wanted to get myself killed, or I was okay with dying. But you were wrong. You and I, we are the same. We are simply enjoying the thrill of an exciting and endearing adventure, mindless of the risks that come with it.”
I looked at her, and she looked away avoiding my gaze.
“Your silence is proof that I am right,” I said as we continued to sail in silence once more.
After long tiring hours, we could see the shore, there were other fishing boats similar to ours so we blended in perfectly as we made our way to the dock.
“This place reeks everything bad,” Sophia said, breaking the silence.
I nodded,
“True.”
The port city rose against the misty backdrop of craggy mountains, bearing a foreboding outlook. Towering spires reached toward the sky, adorned with large red crystals that gave off an ominous pulse. The sun, dipping below the horizon transformed the skyline into a jagged silhouette, casting long shadows over the harbour.
The air was thick with a salty mist, and a cacophony of sounds filled the space. Merchants shouted their wares, the clanking of metal echoed, as dockworkers loaded and unloaded their ships, and a crash of waves provided a constant rhythm to the city’s heartbeat. Yet, beneath the surface of the vibrant activity lay an undercurrent of tension, palpable and unyielding.
At the center of the harbour, massive mana devices loomed like sentinels, as their dark shimmering surfaces glistened ominously in the fading light. These devices were adorned with crystals that glowed with an eerie blue light, cackling with mana. These were what Vayr wanted to avoid.
I noticed that every large ship docking in the harbour was inspected under the supervision of some Imperial soldiers, while others patrolled the harbour. The number of soldiers I could count were roughly a hundred which left me wondering where the rest were.
“Given the current situation, I don’t think we can completely take control of this city, but we can buy time for our fleet to arrive,” I said to Sophia.
“Why is that?” She asked.
“Because reinforcements will definitely arrive when the fighting starts. I believe Vayr knew this too, and what he was more worried about are those,”
I said, pointing at the mana devices.
“So, what do we do?” She asked
“First, we send a message to Vayr, notifying him that the fleet is clear to approach. Then we destroy the mana devices and prepare for battle.”
While I was inscribing Vayr’s message on the communication scroll, two soldiers approached us.
“May we see your dock pass?” One of them asked.
“Sir, there are many fishing boats around, and I don’t see them being inspected. Why ours?” Sophia replied.
“Your faces don’t strike as familiar. Your dock pass, now!” He insisted.
“Okay, okay, calm down. I will get it for you,” Sophia replied.
She looked at me, and I nodded, signalling that I was done writing. In a blur of motion, she spun around, disarmed one of the soldiers and decapitated them with a swift strike.
“Let’s go,” she said.
There were twenty mana devices, but destroying all of them didn’t pose any difficulty. I crashed ten of them against each other with Attraction, which caused a loud explosion. Sophia followed up by unleashing lightning currents to destroy the rest, throwing the entire harbour into chaos.
Sophia and I stood side by side for a brief moment, taking in the chaos around us. Amidst the turmoil, I felt oddly calm, like in a zone shielding me from everything happening around me. As the smoke dissipated and visibility improved, we found ourselves surrounded by Imperial soldiers.
I couldn’t sense any arcane energy from any of the soldiers. Feeling a bit relieved, I charged.
My strength and skill had improved exponentially. I’ve had countless of training and battle simulations with Darya which surprisingly translated to reality. Armed with my Stillbring and grey domain I cut through dozens of soldiers that didn’t even have the opportunity to put up a fight. Some of them managed to conjure spells but they were futile. It didn’t take long as every soldier surrounding us lay dead. I switched out of the grey domain and it was a mess. Decapitated heads, severed limbs, and gored bodies. I turned in Sophia’s direction, and she stood over a pile of bodies. The once vibrant port was now eerily empty, save for us and the bodies around us.
I didn’t feel remorse nor disgust. The old me would have been questioning my actions. It wasn’t over yet, and Sophia knew it too. We still held our swords firmly, ready for whatever came next.
It didn’t take long until figures that seemingly appeared from nowhere crashed around us. Four of them wore masks and white outfits—the knights of the Order of Death.
Another figure caught my attention as it stood atop a spire, watching us.
“What are our chances?” Sophia asked, glancing at me. I stared at her for a moment. I’ve always thought she was someone who acted rashly without second thoughts, but since our arrival at Duskenfell, she had approached every situation with caution.
“There is only one way to find out,” I said in reply.
The air crackled with tension as the knights of the Order of Death surrounded us. The difference in strength between them and the Imperial soldiers was exponential, and the aura they exuded was palpable.
I tightened my grip on my sword, as the energy of my Stillbring surged through me. Activating the grey domain, time stretched, and my senses heightened.
With a nod as a signal, and a burst of speed, I lunged forward, targeting the nearest knight. He swung his sword at me, but I easily dodged, slipping into his space with Realm Slip. In an instant, I was behind him, my blade striking true. He moved with lethal precision and speed, countering my blade, as one of his comrades closed ranks. I was a bit surprised. I didn’t expect my strike to be fatal, but I also didn’t expect him to react with such precision.
Sophia unleashed a wave of lightning, the crackling energy arcing toward two knights. They countered, conjuring a barrier of solid ice to shield themselves as their clash of elements sent shards flying all over.
I readied myself, expecting a retaliatory strike from them. I wasn’t scared. Although I didn’t have any clear idea of how to kill both of them without the use of Negation, I didn’t also see how they would kill me.