<At the start of the day, before the fight began>
When the morning dawned clear and bright, the sun cast a golden sheen over the restless waves.
Aeliana stood at the edge of her ship’s deck, her veil in place, her posture poised and steady as she surveyed the vast expanse of the sea. Despite the stillness of the morning, the anticipation in the air was palpable.
She had spent the previous night poring over reports from the attendants she had sent to investigate the enigmatic swordsman named Luca. The findings were sparse, to her frustration. He had no notable affiliations, no recognized ties to guilds or noble houses, and no established reputation beyond this expedition. Yet, his skill was undeniable, a clear anomaly amidst the sea of adventurers.
‘Who are you, really?’ Aeliana thought, her gaze drifting toward the distant platforms where the day’s battles would soon unfold. ‘No one fights like that without a story.’
Madeleina stood silently by her side, ever the vigilant attendant. She cast a brief glance at her lady before speaking softly. “You seem eager this morning, my lady. Did you rest well?”
Aeliana nodded faintly, her hands clasped in front of her. “I did. And today… I want to see more.”
Madeleina arched an elegant brow. “More, my lady?”
“Yes,” Aeliana replied, her voice calm but edged with determination. “More of this expedition, more of these battles. I’ve spent too long locked away from the world, watching it through secondhand accounts and rumors. Here, I can see it unfold in real time. I want to take in as much as I can.”
The faintest smile flickered across Madeleina’s lips. “As you wish, my lady. The platforms are being prepared as we speak. The first wave of monsters will arrive shortly.”
Aeliana’s attention sharpened as she turned her gaze to the platforms once more. The mages were already at work, their spells carving intricate sigils into the air as glowing constructs began to materialize over the water. The adventurers and mercenaries were assembling in their assigned formations, their weapons gleaming in the morning light.
Her eyes scanned the gathering figures, searching for him. It didn’t take long. Luca stood near the edge of the Fourth Station, his stance casual, his sword resting against his shoulder as though the chaos ahead was nothing more than a casual inconvenience. Even from this distance, there was something about his demeanor that set him apart—the way he moved, the way he observed his surroundings with an air of unshakable confidence.
Aeliana’s lips pressed into a faint line beneath her veil. “Madeleina,” she said softly, not tearing her gaze away from him. “Do we have anyone close enough to report on him directly?”
Madeleina’s expression was calm as she stepped closer to Aeliana, her tone measured and professional. “If you’re asking about something akin to yesterday, my lady, then I’m afraid not. The artifact we used has its limitations. It’s highly susceptible to interference from the mana of Awakened individuals, especially those of high rank. Most of the adventurers here fall into that category.”
Aeliana’s eyes lingered on Luca’s distant figure, the faint glimmer of his peculiar blade catching her attention once more. Her lips pressed together as she absorbed Madeleina’s explanation. “I see,” she said quietly. “That’s unfortunate.”
“I agree, my lady,” Madeleina replied. “However, we can still gather reports from our stationed attendants and rely on observations made after the battles. It may not be as immediate, but it will be thorough.”
Aeliana nodded, her gaze finally breaking from Luca to settle on the prepared platforms. The mages were nearly finished stabilizing the magical constructs, and the first wave of monsters was beginning to churn the distant waters. The faint rumble of their approach was a constant backdrop, growing louder with each passing moment.
“Very well,” Aeliana said, her voice calm but tinged with disappointment. “I suppose I’ll have to be content with what I can see from here.”
She turned and moved gracefully to her seat, the high-backed chair positioned to provide the best vantage point of the unfolding battlefield. As she settled, her hands resting lightly on the armrests, she cast one last glance toward the Fourth Station.
‘He moves like he’s untouchable,’ she thought, her curiosity refusing to wane. ‘I wonder… how far does that confidence go?’
It was a question of wonder.
*******
Aeliana sat transfixed, her gaze fixed on the projection displaying the battlefield. Her focus had sharpened throughout the battle, drawn to the two figures who stood out so distinctly—Luca with his unpredictable, lethal grace, and Elara with her masterful command of frost magic. Every movement, every strike, felt like a performance crafted to hold her attention.
She leaned slightly forward, her veil shifting with the motion. ‘Exhilarating,’ she thought, her fingers lightly gripping the armrest of her chair. Luca’s blade seemed alive, moving with an uncanny rhythm that sliced through the chaos. Elara, on the other hand, was a tempest of frost, her spells turning the battlefield into a frozen canvas of destruction.
“They’re remarkable,” Aeliana murmured, almost to herself.
Madeleina, standing silently by her side, glanced at her with a knowing look. “Indeed, my lady. Both display exceptional skill.”
As the battle wound to a close, with the adventurers clearing the final wave of monsters, Aeliana felt a rare sense of satisfaction. She had watched knights train for hours, seen soldiers spar, but this—it had been something else entirely. The synergy between strength and precision, raw power and tactical magic, had left her breathless.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Madeleina’s voice, low and steady but carrying an edge of tension. “My lady… something is not right.”
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Aeliana blinked, her attention snapping to her attendant. “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice calm but cautious.
Madeleina’s gaze shifted to the horizon, her expression darkening. “The energy… it’s changing. I’ve felt this before. Something is—”
Before she could finish, a sound like thunder cracked through the air.
BOOM!
Aeliana’s eyes widened as the projection trembled, the images flickering momentarily before stabilizing. A massive splash followed, sending waves rippling across the sea and the platforms below.
And then, a shadow rose.
It stretched across the water, impossibly large and growing larger still, its shape monstrous and undefined. The sky seemed to darken around it, the sunlight swallowed by its sheer presence. A low, guttural sound echoed across the battlefield—a sound that sent chills racing down Aeliana’s spine.
“What is that?” Aeliana whispered, her voice barely audible.
SPLASH! CRACK!
The projection flickered violently as the massive form rose from the sea, its writhing tentacles glistening with seawater and an eerie sheen that reflected the dimming light. The monster loomed over the battlefield, its sheer size dwarfing the adventurers and ships scattered around the platforms. Aeliana’s breath hitched, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of her chair.
“What… what is that thing?” she whispered, her voice barely audible beneath the cacophony of the scene.
Madeleina, standing at her side, shook her head, her expression grim. “I’ve never seen anything like it, my lady. This isn’t a creature from any records I’ve studied. Whatever it is… it’s beyond anything we anticipated.”
The monster’s massive tentacles surged upward, then crashed down with terrifying force.
CRACK!
One of the platforms buckled instantly under the blow, splintering into fragments that were hurled into the air. Adventurers scrambled to dodge the debris, their cries drowned out by the roar of the waves. A second tentacle swung toward one of the ships, its impact sending a shockwave through the water.
SPLASH!
The ship rocked violently, several of its crew thrown overboard. Panic erupted as sailors and knights alike scrambled to secure their positions, their shouts mixing with the guttural roar of the beast.
Aeliana’s heart raced as she watched the chaos unfold. The projection zoomed in on one of the platforms where adventurers desperately fought back. Luca was among them, his blade flashing as he moved with precise, calculated steps to avoid the monstrous tentacles.
The sea itself seemed to rise in rebellion. Smaller sea monsters that had retreated earlier now surged forward, their forms twisting unnaturally as though under the command of the great beast. Waves crashed against the platforms, the churning waters pulling adventurers into the depths.
“This is madness,” Madeleina said, her voice tense. “The sea… it’s alive with fury. Whatever that thing is, it’s controlling everything.”
A deep crisis occurred in front of their eyes.