Blue Hope, "Level 2—Engine Room"

-

"Boooooom !!"

The explosion had left scorch marks on the walls and floor, and the magical energy conduits sparked intermittently, casting flickering light across the damage.

A few injured engineers groaned in pain, their clothing singed and skin reddened by the heat.

Gareth, a seasoned guard with sharp features and a keen sense of duty, strode into the room, his expression grim. His eyes scanned the wreckage quickly before locking onto a big-bellied man sitting against the wall; black smoke smudged across his face.

“What happened here?” Gareth demanded, his voice cutting through the noise.

The big-bellied man, a senior engineer named Polk, coughed and waved away some of the smoke. “It was a creature, sir,” he rasped, his voice hoarse from inhaling fumes.

“A creature?” Gareth raised an eyebrow, kneeling beside him. “Be specific. What kind of creature could cause this?”

Polk wiped his brow with a trembling hand. “Worm-like. Black and segmented, about the size of a man’s arm. It just... appeared out of nowhere. Before we could react, it latched onto the main magical energy engine and—”

“And caused this mess,” Gareth finished, glancing at the ruined engine, now a mass of twisted metal and magical sparks.

“How does a worm bite through reinforced magical conduits? Are you sure this wasn’t sabotage?”

Polk shakes his head fervently.

“I saw it with my own eyes, sir. It wasn’t natural. It drained energy, like it was feeding on the engine itself. Never seen anything like it.”

Gareth stood, his mind racing.

“Keep helping the injured,” he commanded. Turning to the other guards who had accompanied him, he barked,

“Secure the area and make sure no one else gets close. No one unauthorized enters this room.”

“Yes, sir!” the guards replied in unison, scattering to follow his orders.

As Gareth made his way toward the exit, he motioned for five of his men to follow him.

“We’re heading upstairs to report this,” he said.

“This isn’t just an accident. If there’s a creature capable of taking out a magical engine, it’s a threat to the entire ship.”

Before Gareth could leave the area entirely, snippets of his conversation with Polk began spreading like wildfire.

Crew members and passengers, many of whom belonged to different organizations aboard the Blue Hope, overheard the details.

“What did they say?” A cloaked figure whispered to another in a shadowed corner of the hallway.

“Some kind of worm attacked the engine,” the other replied, a glint of interest in their eyes.

“Sounds magical.”

“Magical and dangerous,” a third person joined in.

“If something like that exists, it could be weaponized.”

Among the eavesdroppers was a representative from the Frost Elves, their pale complexion glowing faintly in the dim light. They turned and whispered to their companion,

“Report this back to Lady Nerina. If there’s a magical entity loose on this ship, it might interfere with our operations.”

A member of the Dark Father’s faction, dressed in heavy robes, overheard the conversation and narrowed his eyes. He muttered under his breath,

“This sounds like something we could use. A creature that feeds on magic... Lord Rud would want to know about this.”

Upstairs, Gareth and his team approached the command center, their boots echoing against the polished metal floor.

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He entered the room, where a junior officer looked up from their station.

“Captain Heidrick is currently occupied,” the officer said.

“This can’t wait,” Gareth interrupted.

“The engine room suffered a small explosion. We suspect a magical entity is involved—a worm-like creature that can drain magical energy.”

The officer’s expression shifted to alarm.

“A magical entity? That’s unprecedented. Give me a moment.”

The officer quickly activated the communication panel, relaying the details to higher authorities.

Gareth waited, his arms crossed, tension evident in his posture.

One of his men, a younger guard named Rylan, leaned closer and whispered,

“Do you think this is part of something bigger, sir?”

Gareth nodded slightly.

“It has to be. Creatures like that don’t just appear out of nowhere. Someone either brought it on board or is using it to send a message.”

Back in the engine room, the guards and engineers worked tirelessly to contain the damage.

Polk, still shaken, coordinated efforts to stabilize the remaining energy conduits.

A tall woman wearing a badge signifying her position in the Third Circle approached the scene. Her silver hair gleamed in the low light, and her piercing blue eyes scanned the wreckage.

“I heard about the creature,” she said to one of the guards. “Do you have a description?”

The guard relayed the details as best as they could. The woman frowned deeply, muttering,

“A worm that feeds on magic... We’ve encountered similar entities in magical experiments. They’re unstable and unpredictable. This could be catastrophic if not handled immediately.”

As she turned to leave, one of the Frost Elf representatives intercepted her.

“We need to speak,” the elf said, their voice cold and sharp. “This isn’t a coincidence.”

Meanwhile, in a less conspicuous part of the ship, members of the Distantias Crime Family gathered in a small room. One of their informants had overheard the details about the worm.

"This could be useful,” their leader murmured. “If we can control it, no one on this ship would dare challenge us.”

As word of the incident spread, tensions on the Blue Hope began to rise.

Rumors about the creature’s origins and capabilities fueled paranoia among the ship’s passengers and crew.

Some believed it was a sabotage attempt by one of the powerful factions.

Others speculated that the creature was an unintentional stowaway from the ship’s last port.

And Gareth, standing outside the command center, couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.

-

Sylas gave a curt nod toward Machivel, signaling him to begin.

Machivel straightened his posture and scanned the room.

His dark eyes glinted with sharp intelligence as he began to speak.

“There are three primary matters we need to discuss regarding the recent events aboard the Blue Hope. First, let us address the assassination. We have confirmed that the murder of Ferlo was executed through the use of a small, undetectable magical spell—likely cast by someone from the Distantias organization.”

A murmur rippled through the room. Sardias leaned forward,

“So it’s true. Distantias is already making moves.”

“Yes,” Machivel confirmed.

"And more troubling, hidden members of other organizations are closely observing this incident, likely trying to deduce how it was done and what it means for the balance of power.”

He paused.

“This brings us to our second point: Lord Sylas, in his wisdom, has managed to improvise a magical defense spell. This spell is capable of protecting us from small to mid-level curses for the duration of the voyage.”

At this, the room shifted.

Gran, always the first to speak

“Lord Sylas, you never fail to impress.”

Sardias nodded in agreement.

“Curses are insidious, and it’s good to know we’re shielded from at least some of them. That gives us a much-needed edge.”

Sylas gave a small smile, his gaze steady.

“The spell is only as strong as our unity and vigilance. Do not take it as an invitation to be reckless. It protects against minor threats, not complacency.”

The group nodded solemnly, the admiration in their eyes evident. Suntuzel raised his hand; his curiosity piqued.

“Lord Sylas, does this defense extend to physical manifestations of curses—like conjured beasts?”

Machivel answered before Sylas could speak.

“That brings us to the third and perhaps the most pressing issue. We have reports of conjured magical beasts and spells that directly harm the ship itself. This is no mere coincidence.”

Gran frowned deeply, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

“Explain.”

Machivel clasped his hands behind his back as he elaborated.

“There are likely two main reasons for these attacks. The first is to create distractions—keeping guards, mages, and key personnel busy while something more sinister unfolds.”

“And the second?” Sardias asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

“To stall the ship and keep everyone aboard longer,”

Machivel replied, his tone heavy.

“The Blue Hope, as you all know, is one of the safest places for assassination plots. High-level mages are forbidden from using offensive spells here, leveling the playing field for those who wish to strike from the shadows.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Each person digested the implications, their expressions ranging from concern to outright anger.

“It makes sense,” Gran said finally, his voice a low growl. “If you’re a killer or saboteur, you’d want to keep your targets trapped where they’re vulnerable and can’t retaliate with full force.”

Sylas broke the silence, his tone measured but commanding. “That’s precisely why we must remain vigilant."

"Water is boiling..."