I

Sleep was difficult, even when the hammock in the dimly lit ship cabin swayed gently with the waves. The others were lulled to their slumber with ease but Tycon found the constant shifting light of the swinging lantern distracting, the light fading in and out behind his eyelids. He contemplated turning it off but knew that even in the darkness his mind would wander and keep him awake regardless if the light were on or not. So he watched it like it were the pendulum of a clock, attempting to hypnotize himself to sleep no matter how feeble it seemed.

So far it hadn't worked and he'd been trying for an hour, waiting as fleeting invasive thoughts swept through his mind. It was its own form of distraction, the lingering feeling that he still wasn't powerful enough. He'd thought after the display in the cavern that he'd feel invincible but he still had his doubts. It felt like the appetite hadn't yet been sated and he craved more and more power. He glanced down at the sword that sat below him amongst his other belongings and studied the shimmering thin blade like a child seeing their first magic trick. He marveled at its flawless appearance, he felt like he was looking at a pile of gold right at his feet and it was his to use as he saw fit.

Knowing that sleep wouldn't come to him any time soon, Tycon decided to take his leave from the warmth of the cabin and head to the main deck to look at the stars, but not without his sword. He slipped the sword into his belt and held the hilt with a firm grip as he made his way from the cabin and up the creaking waterlogged stairs. When he reached the top, to nobody's surprise, he saw Valin manning the wheel of the ship in silence. It was clear that the man noticed him, Tycon could tell by the momentary shift of his eyes as he emerged from the lower decks but Valin didn't say a word, he simply gazed purposefully to the dark shifting ocean ahead.

"I thought you'd be asleep," Tycon said in an attempt to break the icy silence.

"Someones gotta keep us on course," He replied quickly, "We don't wanna end up in the deep ocean."

Tycon gave a half-smile and made his way up to the quarter-deck to join Valin, then leaned on the railing. Tycon looked wistfully out into the dark void of the nighttime ocean and listened to the water as it collided with the ship. It was a serene feeling, he'd spent time on ships before but not long enough to truly appreciate the freedom of being away from civilization, although he imagined the sailors were quite the opposite.

They had been at sea for a few days, traveling along the coastline to get beyond the eastern mountains - following the flashes. It was the fastest and most efficient way so long as they didn't run into anything unnatural. The closer they got, however, the more he felt like something was wrong and he could tell Sylaina and everyone else on the ship had begun to feel the same. Smoke was appearing in the skies from the east, blanketing most of the region and he had a gut feeling that something big was happening.

The blue flashes of light inched him towards the fact that Zeke was behind it but at that point, he knew it could have been anything. The same thing happened in the isles of the south and he found a gem there so Tycon held out hope that this was the same phenomenon, but it didn't explain the smoke. He didn't want it to be true, he hadn't yet gained the power he needed, he was still weak.

Dammit, what the hell is going on?

The wind began to pick up and Tycon raised his head and took a deep breath, letting it flow through his hair. It made him feel better, a momentaneous bliss that overshadowed his growing anxiety. Moments like those seemed so few and far between and he wanted to take as much advantage of it as he could.

"How long do you think until we pass around the mountains?" Asked Tycon, still staring out to the sea.

"I don't think it'll be much longer," Valin replied, his voice gravelly from fatigue.

Tycon turned to the brown-headed man and folded his arms, leaning on the railing behind him, "That's good then. The quicker we get there the better."

"Indeed," Valin nodded, "Hope you've got some warm clothes because once we pass around the mountains, it's gonna get cold."

"I'll remember that," He let the silence fill the air between them before he continued, "Hey, Valin."

"Hm?"

Tycon scratched his head nervously, "Just wanted to say thank you for taking us this far."

He saw a hint of a smile spread upon Valin's face which surprised him, "It's me who should be thanking you. If you hadn't come along... Well, let's just say things would be worse."

"Let us look ahead to better days."

Valin nodded, "Couldn't agree more."

He watched the distant coastline as it slowly glided by, the flickering lights of the towns spread throughout sparkling like glitter. From a distance, the world seemed calm and serene, even beautiful; only at a distance.

"Tycon?" Valin asked.

Tycon glanced at him waiting for what he would say next. The man kept his eyes ahead but the tension in his face dropped.

"I won't pretend to understand what you and Sylaina are doing, but that sword makes me feel uneasy."

Tycon peeked down at the blade that was latched to his belt then back at Valin, "Why do you say that?"

"Its motif is unlike anything I've seen before and the faint aura it radiates," He paused, trying to collect his words, "Do you think maybe the sword was left there for a reason? To be forgotten?"

Tycon gripped the hilt tightly, letting his thumb caress the gem on the pommel. The faint vibration of the handle ran up his arm and he found it soothing.

"This weapon is the only chance to stop what's coming. I know I may be playing with fire but if I don't use this, we might as well beg for our lives in the dirt like peasants."

Valin still didn't seem convinced, "I see the glow of the runes and hear the distant hum it carries. Be careful of the power you wield because it may consume you."

Tycon clenched his hand, "Whatever it takes to stop this. I've come too far to not be willing to sacrifice everything for my friends and this world. If I don't, who else will? I don't trust anyone else with this task."

"What good will a sacrifice do when the person you are, the person you've become is washed away?" Valin stopped and sighed as he held the wheel against the wind, "Look, I'm just speaking hypothetically. I admire your resolve but I think you're determined to a fault."

Deep down that struck a nerve with him. As far as he knew, he was the only one who intended to use the power for good. Without the determination to set things right, he might as well cower in the corner and watch from the sidelines. To think that he was determined to a fault was ridiculous, without it he'd never had made it this far.

Tycon didn't immediately reply to Valin but instead let the simmering irritation at his comment settle. He brushed his light hair back with a sigh as he began to calm down.

"You think I'm determined to a fault? I've braved great things because of it," He said quietly, "Sylaina wouldn't be alive without it."

"You have," Valin agreed, "What I'm trying to say is, through a determination to reach your goal, would you be willing to let go of your morals in order to achieve it?"

"I would," Tycon said bluntly, "The free world is at stake, it's not perfect but if I fail, there will be no chance of it ever getting better."

"I see," Valin said as if he were deep in thought, "There's always another way."

If there were another way, he'd certainly take it but he can't save everyone. He wished that he could but it simply wasn't possible. Every war had its casualties and It didn't matter what he did, the soil would be glazed crimson by the end of it all. All he could do was prevent as much death as he could.

The sun began to rise from the east, the shimmering pink glow reflecting in the ocean. Suddenly he could see the distant lands a lot clearer, the snowcapped mountains were ahead of them and they'd be passing them soon. The cragged pointing rocks of the coastline didn't look particularly inviting, he hoped there would be a port beyond the mountains. The distant blanket of smoke still hung heavy just below the mountains, obscuring half of the base.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

At least the flashes stopped He thought.

Suddenly there was a rumble below deck that startled him and it was soon followed by a cry. Tycon grabbed onto his sword and in flash made his way below towards the sound, passing several crewmen who were groaning from the rude awakening. He could hear a muffled voice coming from the cabin he and Sylaina were sleeping in. His first thought was of the worst, that a crewman had wanted to get a little 'stimulated' while she was alone but when he slammed the door open, sword in hand, he sighed with relief when he found Sylaina sitting on the floor and rubbing her head.

"What happened!" Tycon exclaimed, realizing he looked like a fool with his sword brandished.

Sylaina wrinkled her freckled nose and scowled, her brown hair loose and in a fray, "I fell out of the hammock."

Tycon could feel a smile forming at the corners of his mouth.

"Don't laugh," She said with a stern voice, "I'm warning you."

He couldn't stop himself and let out a laugh that lasted - in what he imagined to Sylaina - was an eternity.

"You're one to laugh," She said, "Look at you springing through the door like my beloved prince here to save me," She exaggerated the last part by squeaking her voice.

"Yeah yeah," Tycon replied, "You should get yourself together and come up top. We're about to pass the mountains."

She raised her eyebrows, "Already?"

Tycon nodded.

"Shit!" She spat, "Please don't tell me you've found a port, I won't have time to get ready."

"Don't worry we haven't got one in sight for the moment so you have all the time in the world."

"Thank the gods," She climbed to her feet and began pulling her hair back into a ponytail, "Any idea what the source of the smoke is?"

"Not yet," Tycon shook his head, "But we're getting close, we'll find out soon enough."

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II

The closer they came north, the more Tycon could feel the chill in the air. He shivered as he made his way up onto the now snow-covered deck. The air was foggy with snow crystals falling lightly around him like a weightless rain and nothing could be seen more than a hundred meters ahead of the ship. He could hear the periodic crunch as the ship moved through thin ice that blanketed the calmer waters and he noticed the sails were set to half, slowing their speed. He couldn't blame Valin, sailing through fog this thick was bound to lead to disaster at full speed.

"Damn it's cold," Sylaina muttered as she came up by his side.

"Have you ever seen snow before?" Tycon asked, genuinely curious.

Sylaina shivered, "I haven't and I don't think I want to if it's gonna be this cold the entire time."

"The storm will die down soon and it'll clear up. I can't guarantee it won't be cold but It'll be less so."

"Somethings better than nothing," She shrugged.

Tycon and Sylaina made their way up to the quarterdeck to meet Valin who was now wrapped in a thick hooded woolen coat. Tycon could barely make out his face from beneath the hood. He seemed rather relaxed in spite of the cold, holding onto the wheel with a firm grasp, and only looked to them for a moment as they approached.

"I knew it would be cold but I didn't think it would be this damn cold," He said through clenched teeth.

"You and me both," Said Sylaina.

"Any clue how far off we are to the nearest port?" Tycon asked.

"Take another look ahead" Valin nodded towards the bow.

Tycon squinted and through the fog, he could see the faint silhouette of a lighthouse, the fire burnt out. They were coming up to it from the side and soon he saw the snow-covered stone of the port and what lay ahead. Something he'd seen before, firsthand even. The remnants of what had happened seemingly so long ago.

Fuck... Oh god, no. Ambre, Alietah... No.

His heart sunk and his stomach turned. He stumbled, Sylaina reached out to catch him but he caught himself on the railing, quickly regaining his balance. The crater of Winter's Peak, where the city once stood, where he had saved her from its disappearance.

"Is something wrong?" Sylaina gasped but Tycon couldn't reply.

He remembered the smoke he saw above the mountains, how several sources culminated in one blanket of dark cloud. He had a feeling this would happen, but not so soon. He was convinced he'd have time to warn her, that they'd all have had time to prepare. Zekes' men took Meliora but to move from that so soon... He stood in silence as he stared blankly towards the crater and the small half-built houses that surrounded it, now charred. He was afraid to take one step further, he was afraid of what he might find.

His teeth and fists were clenched, he could barely see Sylaina's face through the glistening tears that covered his eyes. Rage boiled within his heart, burning away the fear that had begun to sprout within him.

"Tyco-"

"Wait here!" He managed to croak, "I need to see something."

"Wait, what's going on?" She cried.

He stopped and took a moment to breathe and to think, "Someone I cared about lived here. I want to go see if there's a body."

"Let me come."

"No. It's clear that Zeke's army has been through here, if I find any of them still around, I don't want you to see what I'll do to them."

Sylaina snorted, "I've seen it all, there nothing yo-"

"This is no time to be sarcastic," He snapped, "I'm going to get some closure and I'll slaughter every last one of his men left here. One... By one."

Sylaina seemed to be about to speak but cut herself off. Letting him step off the ship and watched as he disappeared into the blinding white of the storm.

He had nothing but determination as he trudged through the thick snow. Determined to find something, signs of escape or a body. He needed his worst fear or greatest relief confirmed to him at that very moment and he would eliminate anyone in his path to find it. The crater grew larger as he came closer, passing burnt-out houses and frozen bodies that lay scattered in the blood-black snow. Not even the storm could wash away the slaughter that happened there.

He inspected each body he came across but found none that resembled Ambre or his sister. The number of charred corpses made him increasingly concerned, burned beyond recognition.

An abrupt sound of a plank falling to the floor followed by a hushed swear caught his attention and he snapped around to its source, a small burnt wooden cottage. Tycon held the grip of his weapon as he slowly inched closer, ready to obliterate anything that would jump out at him.

It could be a survivor He thought and decided to call out.

"Who's there?"

There was silence, only the howling wind could be heard. Tycon took a few more steps forward, his patience waning.

"I'm not with the army that came through here. Step out now or I'll fucking obliterate this house and you along with it."

"Okay, okay," A male voice said frantically, and a thin man dressed in furs stepped out from the half-sunken doorway.

He was carrying a large bag that was strapped to his back, the leather spread wide and heavy as if it were full.

"Who the hell are you?" Tycon asked, still holding the hilt of his sword.

The man raised his arms in surrender, "M- my name is Delvin."

"Ok Delvin, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I lived here," He replied shakily, "Just... Just packing my things since the army d- destroyed the place."

"Bit late for packing isn't it? the army has already come through. You should have left a while ago," He paused and drew his sword with a hiss, "Open the bag."

"I-It's nothing, just essentials for travel. Please, it's all I have left. Surely you wouldn't rob a refugee?"

"I won't ask again, open it."

The man seemed to be weighing his options. He stared at Tycons sword as it glowed the snow blue before relenting and dropped the bag, letting the contents spill out into the snow with a jingle. He wasn't surprised when he saw jewelry, coin, and possible heirlooms spill from the bag.

"Just the essentials eh?" Tycon mocked as he pointed his sword at the man.

He dropped to his knees, "Please don't kill me."

Tycon took a few steps forward and squatted in front of the man, leveling their eyes, "Oh I won't kill you. Tell me what happened here and you can go."

"I- I lived here," The man started, "Survived the collapse and watched everything get destroyed before my eyes. I decided to stay and help rebuild but a few months later they swept through like a whirlwind of fire, burning everything in their path."

"Who did?" Tycon pressed.

"The elves," The man said.

Tycon could tell by the scrunched face he made that the events were painful for him to recall, but he needed answers.

He started again, "I hid from them and watched them burn and kill everyone they saw. Some would say it was a battle but we didn't stand a chance, it was a slaughter."

So it was Zeke He thought.

They had come far sooner than he anticipated and everyone was caught off guard. The neighboring kingdoms had to be warned lest they meet the same fate as Winter's Peak.

"There were some elves here with you," Tycon said quickly, barely masking his concern, "Do you know where they are or if they escaped?"

"I saw some flee south led by a blonde elven woman."

"What about Am- The Queen?"

The man shook his head, "I don't know, there was a lot of commotion but she could be alive, by the gods I hope she is."

A wash of relief swept over him knowing that his sister likely made it out but he wanted to be thorough, just to be sure. They could still be amongst the hundreds of rigid frozen bodies scattered across the frozen wasteland. He didn't like the thought of it, but if they had fallen he at least wanted the closure.

"One last thing," Tycon said standing up, "Why are you looting these homes? These were your people - your friends."

"I just wanted to start a new life," He said quietly, "somewhere away from all this shit."

Tycon was disgusted, to steal from the innocent dead who were lost to slaughter was despicable. For a split second, he considered killing the man but knew Ambre wouldn't want him to kill her own people. That was the only thing he could come up with to stay his hand.

"Go," Tycon said, "Leave all this to rest with the dead. Find a new life with a clear conscience."

He nodded and rose to his feet, trudging through the snow and towards what remained of the broken frozen road.

Tycon pondered for a moment whether he should of let the man go with the items to sell for supplies to aid the refugees, but he didn't trust him enough to do that.

One by one he continued to check the bodies, the frigid wind pushed hard against his red numbed face. Some were split in half and limbs scattered around seemed to be a common sight in the wake of the massacre. Some were even half-eaten, by wolves or monsters he couldn't tell but he guessed it was both. Tycon kept his wits about him as he checked, his sword still in hand. It was likely that monsters were still prowling about, feeding off the corpses that remained fresh in the cold.

He circled around the edge of the crater, it looked to be fifteen-feet deep and was wide enough that it would take thirty minutes to do one lap. He noticed the remains of a half-built bridge that would have lead across the crater and he wondered what Ambre had planned, maybe someday it'd turn into a lake. He couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been to rebuild in a place like that.

He stopped before what remained of a large house. It looked much like the others, made from thatch and wood but larger and it definitely stood out from the rest of them. He had a hunch that it belonged to Ambre, it certainly made the most sense. If he was going to find anything it would be there and he was afraid of what he might find.