"Look who it is..." Replicus said while looking ahead. The umbrella-shaped glow around the deck dissipated.
His voice may have been low, but it reached the individual... individuals, he was addressing.
Pherdanta who still stood where she needed to be in order for the ship to be steered correctly, was donning a subtly strained expression. Replicus had picked up on this the instant he warped himself here.
A determined scoff across the smooth ocean waters between the two vessels, its origin being the prominent figure among those who had been addressed just now.
"Have I ever told you how much I hate that snark about you, Bright Storm?"
A woman with a blue skin tone that started from her neck and reached all the way down to her feet, said. She was dressed in what seemed like fluffy bath robes that reached her ankles, with her ... hair proudly announcing that she had either taken a bath or was coming from a swim.
As she spoke to Replicus, a faint expression of annoyance crept on her face, mirroring her words.
"You haven't said it outright, but I believe several of my other seniors have stressed that constantly," Replicus replied. He then stepped closer to the edge of the deck. "If I may ask, why have you stopped us, Warding Pride?"
The woman's eye flickered.
She, much like Replicus, hated the nickname that had been granted to her because of her exceedingly sophisticated skill in making barriers.
As strange as it was, only a few Faction leaders had given themselves nicknames, or rather, they didn't have the power to give themselves more fitting names.
Warding Pride pretended as though she wasn't moved – whichever way – by the name.
"I caught sight of a familiar shape from the distance," she said her focus shifting to someone else. "I grew concerned at the sight of her. To think you would bring her along on such a dangerous excursion."
Pherdanta twitched slightly as soon as Warding Pride's gaze fell on her.
The Faction leader's visage softened.
"Oh, Pherdanta. Look how you've grown in such an insignificant amount of time," she said. "I see no joy in your eyes. Did fleeing from our side turn out to be everything you hoped for?"
Grim, Allora, and even Baddan turned to Pherdanta.
Replicus kept his sights on Warding Pride.
'To think she would still try.'
Different from Warding Pride's gaze, Pherdanta wasn't affected by her words. If there was anything she would never regret, it was allying herself with Replicus.
"It did," she replied to Warding Pride. "I have everything I want right here?"
"Really? Even he doesn't matter to you anymore?" the blue-skinned woman asked while gesturing to one particular individual among the dozen or so on the deck with her.
It was a young man with sunflower boodle hair and wide-set brown eyes. His face did not show even a lick of emotion, but he stared at Pherdanta intensely, as if heavily anticipating what would be her reply.
Pherdanta was the same.
Her face gave away nothing but cold indifference.
"As I said. I have everything I want here."
A flicker of light died in the eye of the young man Pherdanta was looking at.
Warding Pride smiled.
"How cold. I always liked that about you. Pretending to be a machine that feels nothing for the sake of duty. I miss that. You pulled off the facade best," she said. "If only—"
"Well, it seems like we have exceeded our budgeted time for momentary stops. If you would excuse us, Warding Pride," Replicus cut off the Faction leader.
The woman laughed.
"You say that as if you actually expect great exploits for yourself on this assignment. You have no idea how much the other Faction leaders covet that little scrap of land Eaniss gave you. They will all be fighting for a chance to kill you. If I scrounge up enough pity, in addition to Pherdanta, I might just have you spared... if you become a slave of mine on a leash."
Grim and Allora were visibly infuriated. The former's eyes look on a vibrant glow as he glared at Warding Pride who completely ignored him.
Replicus on the other hand laughed.
"I think we'll manage," he said before gesturing for Pherdanta to set the ship off.
"Is that so? I think your reliance on a beast speaks to how in over your head you are," Warding Pride scoffed.
Baddan, who was the being referred to, didn't have any reaction. After accepting what he was, the term 'beast' seemed to explain what he was to people in this world perfectly.
Replicus laughed again.
The numerous monstrosities attached to the keel of the ship quivered to life as Pherdanta said, "Non-Sail," and at the same time, the Penetrator clutched his helmet while facing Warding Pride.
"Don't write off beasts too readily, Warding Pride..." he said, and his helmet vanished.
...!
For the first time since this short back and forth, Warding Pride's face changed.
Her face turned ugly as she saw it.
A dark skull with more than dozens of needle-thin bolts of Levin coursing in and over it now faced her. Its four sockets turned blindingly bright, which forced Warding Pride's crew to look away with groans.
This...
Warding Pride was utterly stunned.
This was her first time seeing Bright Storm without his helmet and...
She couldn't find the words to speak or remark.
What was this?
She looked around Bright Storm and saw that none of those in his company were as shocked as her. Not even Pherdanta. The only one mildly interested was Baddan.
They all knew?!
"Unfortunately for you..." Replicus said, "...beasts like me make the worst slaves and even worse enemies."
Just a second later, the great vessel the Penetrator was on blasted ahead at vicious speed, leading behind the smitten Faction.
....
On the way, Replicus summoned his helmet again and breathed out a sigh.
He then walked over to Pherdanta and patted her shield.
"Sorry. That must have been hard for you," he said.
"Not at all," Pherdanta said, her face as rigid as stone with her eyes pinned forward.
Replicus' gaze lingered on her for a few moments and then he left her side.
Despite emerging somewhat victorious in a verbal clash with Warding Pride, he wasn't all that pleased. It seemed that unlike every other Faction leader, he had a disadvantage.
'The ship's barrier won't do. Incandescent Stage experts can still see our souls through it...' he thought.
Besides wondering if Warding Pride could see his soul, or if she could it all, Replicus became a little more concerned.
'The Bishop is definitely going to catch me off guard like this.'
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺