~Notes~
Ivy’s journal-writing really is useful. It’s hard to objectively tell the events that are going on in the story sometimes, and her journal entries make it so much easier. Plus, they’re good stuff when you need filler material for a chapter. XD

Episode 56 Ellinia: Rebuilt!

‘And so it has begun. Whoever attacked our ship really knew how to rouse us up. Other than us eight, there were no more survivors on the ship. The assailant killed all of our troops. Everyone is in a state of shock. Considering what just happened, it seems impossible and far too ordinary for us to actually be cleaning the ship. The attacker left a lot of blood, and we’ve had to mop it up.

‘Tide has been trying to comfort Silver, but she seems to be beyond recovery at this point. She is in both shock and denial, and has a lot of guilt, because it was she who ordered the men to stay onboard in the first place. I know if I were in her shoes, I’d feel so much guilt as well…

‘Kunai, Ryuu, Ayame, and Sasha have locked themselves up in a cabin all night long, and they are debating on what to do next. Based on the messages the attacker left, it definitely looks like he or she wants us to go to Ellinia. The only question is we don’t know what’s waiting for us there, and any mistake in our plans could lead to our doom.

‘It’s been hours and hours now, but the sight of the blood has been permanently etched into my brain. Even now, when it’s just a little past dawn and the sky is still so dark, I can see it, I can see it painted into my eyes. The bright red blood, all over the floor, everywhere. No one has been able to sleep because of it. I haven’t had any sleep either, but Kunai and the others told us before going in to their meeting to get some sleep, because we would need the rest.

‘But I think they knew that we wouldn’t be able to sleep. Not after what we saw today… It is by far the worst scene I’ve ever seen in all our adventures, and after witnessing it, I don’t think things will ever be the same again…’

Ivy closes her journal with a quivering hand, and drops her pencil with a small clatter onto her wooden desk. She sits on a stool in front of it, hidden in her semi-dark cabin. The only light filtering into the room is from the pinkish light in the sky coming in through the windows, and the sole candle in the room.

Ivy picks up her staff from where it had been leaning against the wall. She strokes it with a sad look on her face, holding back tears.

“It wasn’t your fault…” a male voice suddenly says behind her, “Ivy.”

Ivy swings around, and notices Kunai standing behind her. “How long have you been there? I thought you were supposed to be in the meeting with the others.”

“I only just came in,” Kunai replies, striding to Ivy’s side. “The meeting was really going nowhere. No matter how much we debated, we couldn’t come up with a better decision than to…head for Ellinia.”

“So we’re going there?!” Ivy cries, her eyes widening slightly.

“Of course,” Kunai retorts nonchalantly, “whoever our enemy is, we’ve got to stop them at all costs, and make them pay for what they did.”

“I know,” Ivy replies, “but that still doesn’t change the fact that-that the others are all dead, and we’re the only survivors!”

“You needn’t worry about that, Ivy,” Kunai says soothingly, “you have to remember it wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was just a circumstance we couldn’t control. All we can do now is grow stronger…and make sure nothing like this happens again. Right?”

“Right,” Ivy replies, tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Kunai…”

In a darkened cabin, Ryuu, Ayame, and Sasha sit at a round table, their faces sullen. Dark lines hide under their eyes, a sign of lack of sleep due to immense stress. Sasha suddenly stands up, sighing wearily.

“Well,” she says, “I’m going to call it a night, I suppose. This meeting hasn’t gone much further than when we first started it hours ago.”

“It’s almost dawn,” Ryuu replies, “so rest up. We’ll stay here in Ludibrium for the day, and then leave under the cover of the night. That way, if there are any enemies planning to intercept us, we’ll have a better chance of not getting caught.”

“All right,” Sasha replies. “’Night, guys.” With a yawn, Sasha waves goodbye to the other two, and leaves through the door, stomping down the hallway outside to her room.

Ryuu sighs as Sasha leaves, leaning back in his chair contemplatively. He stares up at the ceiling, his eyes strangely dark and unmoving.

“Ryuu,” Ayame says suddenly, “you’ve been acting very strangely all day and all night. What’s wrong? It wasn’t until just now, when everybody else left, that you started acting a little bit more like your usual self.”

“It’s Kunai,” Ryuu answers in a low growl. He leans forward in his chair now, his expression dark and grim. Ryuu’s eyes narrow, while he gives the wall a hardened gaze.

“What about Kunai?” Ayame asks.

“I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to anyone else about it yet,” Ryuu begins, “but back in the Rift World, when Kunai showed up in the middle of the Shuriken fight, we…fought.”

“So you guys had a fight,” Ayame replies, “what’s the big deal? Friends fight all the time.”

“No, you misunderstand me,” Ryuu mutters, “I meant a fight as in a clash of swords.”

Ayame leans forward as well, her expression now serious. She stares into Ryuu’s eyes, noting the solemnity in them. Shock crosses Ayame’s face. “Are you serious? Why did you fight?”

“A minor disagreement,” Ryuu grunts, “he wanted to finish off Shuriken. I wanted us to leave the place immediately and go help you.”

“And that little disagreement erupted into a fight?” Ayame cries, astonished. “That doesn’t sound like something either of you would do!”

“It’s impossible,” Ryuu agrees, “for the regular Kunai. But somehow, when he drew that sword…he changed, not just a little bit. A whole lot. His eyes darkened and you could almost see the malevolence in them. There was a lust for violence and blood that I’d never seen before. I’m not sure what it was that Azuma taught him down there, but Kunai had become maybe ten, twenty times stronger than before.

“I managed to beat him then, but only very narrowly, and by a stroke of luck. I’ve made Kunai promise never to release that sword again for now, but that doesn’t change the fact the fight happened.”

Ayame watches in horror, as Ryuu slumps lower, his eyes widening fearfully. He wraps his right hand around his left elbow, to stop it from shaking. “I never thought I’d say this, Ayame, but…” Ryuu begins, “I’m fearful. I was able to beat Kunai this time, but…if he becomes stronger, which he will with more practice, I may not be able to stop him next time.”

Beneath the ship, blankets of white clouds sail by serenely. However, they are given a slightly more sinister look due to the falling darkness of night.

The black sky of midnight glares down from above, as stars twinkle in its black sea. A faint moon, wrapped in a jacket of clouds, looks on, shedding a feeble, glowing light down on the moving airship.

The clouds continue to sail by at top speeds, while the wind brushes gently against those standing on the ship’s deck. Kunai and Ivy stand side by side, looking out into the fading night. Kunai yawns, and leans on the railing of the ship to rest his weary legs.

“You guys can’t sleep either, huh?” Sasha mumbles sleepily, emerging from within the cabins. She rubs her eyes, shaking the sting of sleepiness away from them.

Sasha comes to a stop next to Kunai and Ivy, leaning forward against the railing to look at the pleasant night sky. “It’s a lot cooler now that it’s night,” Sasha comments.

“Yeah,” Kunai agrees.

“So what’s Ellinia like, guys?” Sasha asks. She laughs. “When we were in the Night World, I was always guiding you guys along, but now the tables have turned, haven’t they?”

“Ellinia’s a forest town,” Kunai replies, “it was once known as the birthplace of all magicians.”

“‘Once?’” Sasha wonders perplexedly.

“Once,” Kunai replies grimly, “but no more. The Myougun laid waste to the city. It’s in ruins now. I really have no idea why our attacker chose to have us meet him there.”

Ivy shivers. “It’s cold,” she murmurs, wrapping her arms around herself.

Kunai sighs, and takes off his cape, wrapping it instead around Ivy. After doing so, he leans wearily against the railing again, the back of his armor now exposed to the elements. “It’s almost dawn,” he mutters.

“Yeah,” Sasha agrees, “Ryuu said we’d get there by dawn.”

As if a set of curtains has parted, the clouds and the night sky suddenly part as well, giving way to a clear view of the world below. The sky lightens considerably, as streaks of pink and gray begin to conquer it.

Below, the sea becomes visible, as crashing waves and foam clash against each other. Off in the distance lies a vast island. Along the coast is an entire forest of trees, their branches waving high into the sky. The sun gleams from behind the ship, shedding a vivid, white light upon the approaching island.

“Is that it?!” Sasha cries.

“That’s it,” Kunai answers, “Victoria Island. But…something’s not right…”

“What?” Sasha asks.

Kunai’s eyes continue to widen as he stares at the island. “That can’t be…Ellinia…has been rebuilt!”

Meanwhile, a man whose face is hidden behind a white mask in the shape of a skull sits in a lofty position on one of the trees. He wears a black kimono, and his hair is pulled back in a ponytail in the style of Conflict.

The man holds a pair of binoculars up to the slits for his eyes in the mask, and inspects the sky patiently for some time. Finally, he reaches for a transmitter in his pocket with his free hand, and places it up to his mouth.

“Recelo here,” the man hisses in a low voice. “Tell them that…”

“Lord Gilford!” A soldier dressed in the uniform of the Myougun’s forces hurries up to a heavily armored man. This man sits lazily in his seat, attentively tending to a large computer staged around him.

The two of them, lord and soldier, are in a brightly lit room with various computers around them, presumably a control room.

“Yes?” the man named Lord Gilford grunts, spinning around in his chair to meet the soldier.

“News has just arrived from our scouts in Ellinia, sir!” the soldier shouts. “The Joukai have…”

“Arrived.” A blue-haired man whose face is hidden underneath a mask in the shape of a skull closes his cell phone and deposits it in the pocket of his black kimono. He turns to stare at the corpulent man he is addressing.

Next Time: Episode 57 The Rise of a New Maple Empire

Rill: Is it my turn to be the center of attention next time?

Kunai: Yup!

Rill: Um…I don’t know what to do.

Kunai: You’re supposed to tell us what’s going on in Ellinia.

Rill: Oh. Um…what’s going on in Ellinia?

Kunai: …

Episode 57 The Rise of a New Maple Empire coming soon!