Approx. 12:30 pm, Navina Criminal Settlement, Eastern 2nd Sea
~Selene’s Perspective~
I sit at my table and take a bite out of my food. Around me, criminals go about their business. Banners featuring the Underworld’s logo hang on the walls above us.
I finish my food and get up. I place my money down on the table and leave. I walk around the settlement.
As a hideout hidden from the eyes of the Arcane Government, the Navina Criminal Settlement is nestled deep within the caverns of the island. It’s also a base of operations for the Underworld.
I weave through the crowds before stopping in front of the entrance to the Underworld base. I show the man standing guard that I’m unarmed and walk through.
I look around before catching sight of my target walking out the door. He’s talking with a masked man. I catch a glimpse of the emblem on the masked man’s chest.
It’s a Shining Pirate.
I walk to the receptionist.
“I would like to look at some maps,” I say.
She nods and waves for me to sit on a bench. She walks away.
As I wait for the receptionist to come back, the 2 men stop just out of hearing range. I turn away and look at the bounty board.
Just then, I hear explosions. The Underworld thugs run out the door to investigate. What’s going on? The explosions continue as the ground shakes slightly.
I see the masked Shining Pirate run out as he leaves my target behind. My target begins to follow.
I watch as another masked man runs into the room. The receptionist comes back carrying maps just at that moment.
“So it was you,” my target says cooly. “I knew something was off the moment you Shining Pirates came here early. What do you want with me? I have helped you pirates gather your supplies as you have asked. Don’t tell me you’re going back on your word.”
The man stays silent. He looks around. I swear his face lingers on mine.
“Lost your nerve? Very well then.”
My target nods at the receptionist. She whips out a flintlock and points it at the man so fast I can barely keep my eyes on it.
BANG!
The receptionist falls onto the floor with a hole in her head. The masked man stands there cooly, holding a flintlock in his right hand.
My target looks at the masked man with cold, unfiltered disgust.
“Who are you?”
The masked man says nothing as he pulls out a cutlass with his left hand. He assumes a fighting stance.
My target laughs before forming a magic circle made of shadows on his right hand.
“Do you know who you’re fighting, boy? I’m a baron. I will destroy you. But if you insist, then so be it.”
The masked man turns to me.
“Get out,” he says in a deep voice.
My target raises his arm and fires a beam of shadows. The masked man dodges before running at the man, the sword glowing indigo.
I run out the door. It’s pandemonium outside.
Underworld thugs fight a small group of Shining Pirates as chaos reigns around the settlement.
I stand there, frozen, before the masked man flies through the door. He hits the wall before falling to the ground with a groan. His mask falls off as he gets back up. I feel a shiver run through me as I recognize his face.
My emotions flare. I feel my vision narrow on him, my chest tightening. My mind clouds with anger and hatred.
I prepare a magic circle and aim it at the man responsible for the ruin of my home.
~Cassius’ Perspective~
I lunge at Baron Adrius and slash downward. He jumps back and sends a blast at me. I send an aura slash at the blast. The 2 projectiles hit each other and explode.
I land and roll on the ground. I raise my hand and send a shot of indigo spirit energy at the baron.
The baron lunges at me, brandishing his gauntlets. I dodge before sending a spirit imbued slash at him. He dodges.
“You have a lot of nerve, boy,” Baron Adrius spits. “I’ll give you that.”
He sends a shot of aura imbued with shadow magic from his fist. I jump to the side before sending another aura slash at him.
He dodges. I send a spirit blast at him. He tries to dodge but the ball of spirit energy hits his arm. He spins onto the ground before recovering almost immediately.
“You’re stronger than I thought,” he admits. A magic circle made out of flames forms on his left hand. “You’ll have the honor of fighting me at full power.”
He blitzes at me, turning into flames that move him in front of me.
I jump to the receptionist’s body just before he releases an explosion where I was. I grab the gun off her dead body and aim at the baron before firing almost immediately. The bullet hits his right shoulder. He stumbles back before sending an extremely powerful blast of fire magic at me.
I create a wall of spirit energy just before the ball of fire lands. I’m sent flying backwards through the door as the ball of fire hits my shield with a loud explosion.
I hit the wall behind me. I groan in pain as my mask falls off. I push myself up and imbue spirit energy into my sword as Baron Adrius recovers. I spit as I prepare to send an aura blast.
Fwoom!
BAM!
I’m sent flying to the side as a ball of shadows hits me. I tumble on the ground before recovering. My sword slides across the ground away from me.
A blast of light flies at me. I dodge it before getting a good look at my assailant.
Black hair, dark brown eyes, and light skin stares right back at me. Standing there is the product of my anger, a murder fueled by the death of my brother, a person who once was closer to me than anyone else.
“Selene Liannos,” I mumble. “I was wondering when I’d run into you.”
She looks at me with unfiltered disgust.
“Cassius Kestos,” she spits. “I was wondering the same thing.”
She imbues her fists with magic, shadow magic on her right and light magic on her left. I watch Baron Adrius fly away using a flight spell.
Great. Just great.
Selene lunges at me, her eyes glowing with pure hatred.
I ready my sword and spirit weapon. I create a shield made out of spirit energy. Her fist lands on it. An explosion sends both of us away from each other.
I recover almost immediately and begin running. Selene does the same as the two of us begin our fight.
–
4 years ago, Lageros, Eastern 2nd Sea
Cassius cradled the dead body of his brother in his arms. Numb to the chaos around him, he looked up to see Selene’s teacher, Alina Altia, standing over him.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “But you’re a threat to the people here.”
Cassius’ eyes widened as he realized who had ratted his friends out to the AG.
“You,” he said.
Altia nodded, admitting to her crime.
Cassius felt his world slowly begin to shatter.
“Surrender,” Altia began. “There’s no escape. Surrender before more people are hurt.”
At those words, Cassius felt something within himself snap.
“Never,” he growled.
–
Selene ran to the docks in a panic. The bodies of Arcane Government soldiers littered the streets, but not a single member of Julian and Cassius’ crew were among the bodies.
She turned the corner and froze. A chill ran through her body as she saw the scene before her.
Her teacher had a sword protruding through her upper back. The sword glowed a dark purple.
The blade disappeared and the body was sent flying towards her by a spirit-infused punch. Selene felt a shock run through her body as she saw Cassius standing there, his eyes filled with darkness.
Their eyes met. Cassius’ eyes cleared as the weight of what he had done hit him full force.
Selene felt her vision flash red as something snapped within her. She rose her hands and sent a beam of light magic at Cassius.
Cassius jumped out of the way. He grabbed Julian’s body and began to drag it to the ship.
Selene aimed another blast. Just as she was about to fire, a ball of flames landed on the ground in front of her and sent her flying backwards. Her vision flashed and everything went quiet.
When she woke up, the flames were still burning and the smoke in the air was heavier. Selene pulled herself up and stumbled to her teacher’s dead body, now burned.
“No no no,” Selene begged. “Please wake up. Don’t die. Master Altia, please don’t go. DON’T DIE! PLEASE!”
Selene felt hands pull her away from the body. And in a voice filled with pain and hatred, she screamed a name.
“CASSIUS!!!”
End Of Chapter XXVIII