Lilo was facing her father, Rongo Moana, the head of the Moana household. Her mother, Kani, paced back and forth behind the table where father and daughter were sitting.
Neither Nami, her Shield, nor her Retinue had been allowed to partake in this conversation.
The Moana family had not received well the news of Lilo’s defeat at the hands of the Sword Demon’s daughter, Lilinoe.
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it,” Kani repeated herself twice. Lilo’s mother was referring to the latest meeting of the extended Moana family.
After what had gone down in Placid City, her position was being questioned.
It didn’t matter that resources had already been poured into her education and training.
Several members of the family had expressed extreme skepticism at the fact that Lilo could one day tackle the Kraken herself if she couldn’t even defeat the Sword Demon’s daughter.
“Kani, darling,” Rongo said, “sit down.”
“Rongo, are you out of your mind? Sit down? We need to do something. We need to go there and—”
Rongo sighed heavily and shook his head. “We’re not doing anything,” he said. “One misstep now, and our daughter will lose her position. This is the moment to keep our heads down and to put in the work.”
Rongo then turned toward his daughter. Lilo’s father was a very kind man who had never been too harsh on her and had always told her that she could decide not to undertake such a dangerous life as a Chosen. Lilo had always felt a calling, something deep inside her besides her talent to shine, especially because she wanted to please her father.
“Lilo,” Rongo said, “the only thing that is left for us to do is to bring the Kraken Slayer’s daughter here in Tempest City. We need her alliance with us. I know that you and Nami have been befriending her. I just received word that she finally woke up from her slumber. You will stay at the manor for the time being, but to resume your training, I’ve spoken with Principal Kaimana, and you will still graduate. However, you won’t participate in the graduation ceremony.”
Lilo nodded gravely, deflated at the idea of not being able to go to the graduation ceremony.
“I am not trying to punish you,” Rongo said, seeing the contrition on his daughter’s face. “I know that you tried and fought valiantly. Our family doesn’t understand how strong the Sword Demon is. I have no doubt that if his own daughter decided to actually pour her energy into becoming a Chosen, she could have been the next Kraken Slayer. I don’t think it’s because of a fault of yours that you lost. You just faced a formidable opponent. Just remember, your role as a Chosen is not to impress our family members. It’s to take care of the monster who terrorizes the Four Seas. We are fighting the Scourge of the Deep, not petty family grievances.”
Lilo attempted to smile at her father, who always had nice and kind words for her. But she knew that even he was now worried that because of what Lilo had gone through, their own position as the spearhead of the Moana family would come into question. From here on out, Lilo would have to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that she was not only worthy of being the Chosen of the Moana family but that she could represent them and bring glory to their name.
“Your sister is being sent back to the academy for now. She will meet the Kraken Slayer’s daughter and make sure that our relationship with her is still strong,” Lilo nodded.
“I’ve heard,” Rongo continued, “that she chose to join Professor Iakopo Kane’s school. The one he recently founded. So, you will have to find ways to be in her proximity at all times. If it means joining Professor Iakopo’s school, I will personally convey my apologies to Elder Krakatoa, but both you and your sister will join Professor Iakopo’s school.”
Lilo nodded. It didn’t come as a surprise for her. She knew how much Talia’s alliance would be worth in the eyes of her family members.
“Furthermore,” Rongo said, “I’ve been elaborating on some ideas to entice the young friend of yours to side with us politically.”
At that point, Lilo’s mother, Kani, interjected. “What? You didn’t tell me anything about this.”
“Darling,” Rongo said, sighing. “I love you, but your mouth is too big for your own sake. This is extremely important. I cannot have you go run your mouth with your sisters.”
“Rongo, that is affronting,” Kani said.
Lilo actually agreed with her father. Her mother was a big gossip, and she would easily let such information slip from her mouth.
“I don’t even understand why you care so much about that child,” Kani said, displeased with her husband. “Is it just because she’s Yalena’s daughter?” There was a strong hint of jealousy in her voice.
“I’m not doing this now,” Rongo said, getting up from the table and looking at his daughter. “Report for training in the training hall in one hour. I will be there,” he said and left.
Lilo knew that all the training that she had had up until now would look like a joke compared to what her father was about to put her through.
* * *
Miles away, in a hidden cove on a remote island, two figures stood on a rocky beach.
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The waves lapped gently at the shore as one of them stared at the Deep.
The other one, Awa, the infamous Sword Demon, knelt on the sand.
His long, dark hair hung loose around his face, obscuring his expression.
Before he stood Maui, giving him his back.
“I’m ready to receive my punishment,” Awa said, his voice low and resigned. “I have failed in my mission. I couldn’t acquire Dark Water, and I lost my daughter to the Water Riders.”
Maui remained silent for a long moment, the only sound the crashing of waves and the distant cry of seabirds.
When he finally spoke, his voice was deep and rumbling.
“Punishment?” he said, a hint of amusement in his tone. “No, Awa. Your failure was... expected.”
Awa’s head snapped up, surprise evident on his face.
“Expected? But I thought-”
Maui held up a hand, silencing him.
“My daughter is like her mother, a warrior. I never doubted her. She, in fact, passed this test. It will all work in our favor, given what happened with her. But we’ll discuss that later.”
He turned, looking out over the dark waters.
“For now, we have more pressing matters to attend to. We need to retrieve Lilinoe. Her defeat was... unfortunate, but not irreparable.”
Awa stood slowly, brushing sand from his knees.
“And after that?”
Maui’s expression hardened, his eyes glinting in the moonlight.
“After that, I have a long-overdue visit to pay. To my daughters.”
* * *
Talia had completely healed in about two weeks since she had woken up. Since then, she had been experimenting with her new powers, confirming that Keanu was indeed able to restrain her while using the Cursed Form. She had been very wary of using it, asking both Professor Iakopo and Keanu to supervise, and she had felt the same fury, the same savage primal instincts take over whenever she had activated it.
Now Professor Iakopo told her, after a few attempts at trying to manage it which had seen Keanu having to restrain her until the form ran out, that he had a solution.
“First,” the Professor said, “the Cursed Form is probably connected to your Charisma. Classes that summon monsters and/or that create links with monsters or familiars or even spirits need Charisma to control them. I suspect that both your Skill Ravenous Wounds and the Cursed Form are linked. I don’t know how,” he emphasized, “but I knew your mother, and this seems like something that all goes together. It’s not by chance that the Star Glaive that she left behind ended up giving you this Skill. I’ve examined the weapon, and I can tell you that as far as Ravenous Wounds go, it will get easier to manage through Charisma.”
Talia nodded thoughtfully. Professor Iakopo had indeed been examining the Soul Weapon and had told her that he had found a possible solution to her problems. Because when she used Ravenous Wounds and the Cursed Form, she would slowly lose control. She wasn’t afraid of them anymore, but she was frustrated by not being able to control such incredible powers.
“I have scouted a dungeon for you,” he said. “I don’t have the time to spend to go there and study its contents because I have some family matters to take care of. However, the monsters are level 25, and the boss is level 30. I didn’t touch either because I thought you could use the practice. And more importantly, if you were to absorb them through Ravenous Wounds,” Iakopo said, “I am positive you would absorb Charisma.”
Talia nodded. She had explained how all her Skills worked to the man after joining his school. And Professor Iakopo had provided her invaluable advice and training in order for her to become a better fighter. To be honest, Talia had gotten from the Professor in the last two weeks what she had always imagined she would have gotten out of her mother if she was still alive. The thought made her cringe a little, but she was more than grateful to the man.
Talia was wearing a tunic with the drop of blood in the dark waters emblem. And as Professor Iakopo stopped talking, she just said, “I will go there with Keanu.”
“You do understand what I’m saying?” Professor Iakopo asked as he had probably a dozen times more. “Whatever clue you might find there, you might not like where your mother went with her plans in order to destroy the Kraken.”
Talia nodded. “I fully understand, Professor.”
“Alright,” he said, slapping his hands on his desk. “Then let’s go. The graduation is just about to begin.”
* * *
The graduation took place in the plaza that stood right before the spire. Below the magnificent construction, a stage had been built. Talia was sitting in the front row beside Professor Iakopo. She would have liked to sit with her friends, but the man had told her that, for whatever reason, she had to stay there. She had by now gotten used to the quirks of Professor Iakopo, so she didn’t question his request.
Principal Kaimana gave a brief speech congratulating the students on their first year at the academy. He was saying how hard it must have been, especially given the terrible events that involved Professor Iakopo’s class. Then, when it came to announcing which school had gathered the most recognition through their first-year students, Principal Kaimana turned to Professor Iakopo and Talia and said, “This might be a first, but not only has a new school emerged after a catastrophe was prevented in Placid City, but the other judges and I have decided to give the school and its most prominent member the award not just for the first year, but for the entire school. In fact, I would like to call Talia Solara here to receive the title of best student of the Water Rider Academy, the champion of all the students for this academic year.”
Talia felt like an entire cliff had just collapsed on top of her. She felt her body turn to jelly as everyone looked at her. Thankfully, Professor Iakopo took her by the arm and slowly brought her up the steps next to Principal Kaimana.
“Talia Solara is the heir of Yalena Solara, the last Kraken Slayer,” Principal Kaimana began. “Her mother fought like no one had ever fought at her age. Her power, her dedication, not even I could compare to the young Yalena. I have to say, however, that despite the fame of her mother, this young woman here managed to carve a path for herself, saving all the students in Placid City from certain death, to carve a path that not even her mother ever treaded at her age.”
Principal Kaimana then turned towards her. “It is a great honor for me,” he said, taking out a beautiful little crown of coral, “to crown you the champion of the Water Rider Academy for this academic year.”
Talia felt like crying and could barely hold back a tear as Principal Kaimana deposited the little ceremonial crown over her head. Principal Kaimana then nudged her and said, “Go to the center and get your applause.” He winked at her.
However, before she could go, Professor Iakopo grabbed her sleeve. Before she could ask what he was doing, he put his hands over her wrist bracelets, the ones that she used to cover her wrist marks. And with just a little flicker of his Space Mana, he disintegrated them out of existence, leaving the torn metal falling to the ground.
“Now you can go,” Professor Iakopo said, smiling at her with a hint of mischief.
Talia felt herself choking, but the two men pushed her in front of the stage, where all the students looked expectantly at her.
She looked around for a second, seeing all the faces that she had met while in Placid City during the classes and the ones that she had only seen during these two weeks.
She wasn’t good at talking, but she took a moment to feel the admiration of everyone, to bask in it.
Then she raised her naked wrists to the air with her fists clenched, and the crowd exploded in a thunderous roar.