Skadi ran towards Cetas and Reid, throwing Windslinger in the air. Her gun with a cannon-sized barrel flew behind her, the green sparks inside dissipating slowly.
After casting the wind veil, Reid rubbed his eyes, clearly confused about the sudden attack.
"I'm alright, thanks to him.."
Reid gazed at Cetas, his eyebrows furrowed.
Cetas merely nodded at Skadi, signifying that he was unhurt or injured in any way.
He directed his eyes towards the long-haired individual's body. Cetas noticed that the mysterious attacker laid down on the crowd, unmoving and grotesque. It also seemed that their augmented arm had vanished, replaced by a pool of blood below.
After affirming that Cetas and Reid were unhurt, Skadi swiftly jumped towards the direction of the attacker.
Within 2 seconds, she appeared above the deceased body. Blood spurted out of the hole that Skadi pierced, even though she wanted no harm to be done, it was kill or be killed.
She felt great remorse and regret - her throat swelling up. She wanted to throw up on the pavement but it took all of her will to prevent it.
"I have taken yet another life.."
The individual in front of her died with their eyes wide open. Those oak-like brown eyes slowly turned lifeless and Skadi had to watch as life left the individual's body.
The individual looked like a girl no older than the age of 20. She wore a cerulean long coat and inside, a complimenting white vest was layered by a casual blouse. There were several badges on the girl's chest, looking as if she were a high-ranking officer of the kingdom.
Ornaments that looked like jewelry sat on the girl's neck, hand, and ears. They looked to be a replica of an original and high-quality accessories that Princess Auruea wore.
Skadi knew them all too well.
Princess Auruea was a ray of hope and inspiration for the whole kingdom after all..
Thankfully, no one was around to see the bloodied corpse of the long-haired woman. Skadi quickly cleaned up the blood of the pavement by using her winds, and carried the corpse in her arms.
Reid arrived shortly, followed by Cetas behind him.
The former's eyes glowed, fear striking him upon what he saw.
Reid's eyes widened, "..A compressed Soul. How can this be..?"
"I don't know..", Skadi's golden hair swayed slowly, a cold breeze enveloping the four, "This may only be a suspicion but I think that she was being manipulated. If that is the case, then this hunt may be more dangerous than I thought.."
Skadi faced Reid and Cetas, "Both of you, head to the direction of Galkan and the others."
Her words sounded strict but contained a sense of fear, showing her feelings deep within.
"Warn them. Disregard the plan, they know that we are here."
Reid hurried towards the docks, Cetas pacing behind him at a considerable pace. He was first only a few steps behind but as seconds passed, there was a significant distance between them.
In a minute, Reid had already reached the docks, while Cetas had only made it back to the grassy area where the two of them previously sat.
Left behind, Cetas gazed at Skadi's direction but she seemed to have vanished from where she stood. He deduced that to not garner any more attention, she entered the tattered door.
Cetas continued to make his way towards the others. He noticed that his pace seemed to have gotten slower - his feet slurred, his muscles tensed, and his joints were cold.
Something was amiss, and Cetas was left alone.
Suddenly, blood seeped from the pavement. Rising up, blood gathered droplet by droplet and formed a peculiar symbol.
It looked like an insignia of some sort.
The blood formed a withered and deformed circle with 7 tentacles emanating from its edges. The tentacles seemed to have wanted to escape but alas they are forever bound to the power of the circle in the middle.
The blood dried and the symbol was complete, the escaping tentacles looked frozen in time and the circle stood as still as an anchor. There seemed to be something off about this symbol.
Cetas tried to move his legs but it was to no avail. After a mere 10 seconds, his movements were completely frozen!
"..H-h...elp!"
He tried to call out but it was futile! No one was around Cetas at all! He was truly alone!
Suddenly, he remembered the Historian's protection and Skadi's words.
Surely, only a single layer of protection wouldn't be enough in the Historian's eyes right?
Time slowly passed by, seconds felt like an hour to Cetas! He began to doubt the Historian's protection and Skadi's words! Soon, his eyes began to get heavy, lulling him to sleep.
In a few moments, Cetas' eyes closed.
Blood began to rise from the cracks under the pavement, covering Cetas' entire body with crimson.
As if like a cocoon, he laid inside in slumber unbeknownst to the members of the Aegir crew. Cetas felt as if he were encapsulated in warm liquid which reminded him of the volcanic hot waters of the Depths.
The onyx scales on Cetas body absorbed the blood but it was too much for him, it filled his body with foreign blood and made Ccetas felt like his stomach was going to burst.
In his mind, all he could see was darkness- a blackscape in which he could only walk eternally.
However!
A figure emerged from the darkness!
Clad in a crimson cloak and a dark eyepatch on its right eye, a middle-sized man emerged from below and gazed at Cetas in curiosity.
Blood flowed down from his pores, eyes, nose, ears, and many others! On his fingers, crimson lines were attached and Cetas noticed that the individual moved them in a complex manner.
The darkness dissipated from within the figure's face and soon, Cetas could see him slightly.
He remembered that face - a shriveled goatee, a haggard looking face, and an eyepatch covering his right eye!
Cetas could not be any more wrong!
Falkone!
The notorious individual that Skadi showed and the sole target for the Hunt! Cetas was actually face to face with such a criminal!
If Cetas could see with Reid's eyes, he would've been frozen in fear due to the sheer unstableness of Falkone's Soul.
The notorious pirate opened his mouth, the edges of his lips stretching to the sides and forming a terrifying grin.
"I haven't seen you in Seyil before.. Judging from your looks, you seem to be a lost sailor. Are you with 'The Zephyr'?', or perhaps not.. you look extremely ordinary to be a member of such a renowned crew. Still, your presence is essential for me, I wouldn't mind taking another civilian."
As the blood dripped out of the man's body, his terrifying grin grew wider.
"In a few seconds, all control of your body will cease to exist. My blood has entered your body, only your consciousness will remain but your existence will forever be bound by my blood."
He turned around and his body began to sink into a pool of blood, "Goodbye, insignificant fish. At the very least, your body will be useful for us. Worry not, this honor is of the greatest honor among us, your body will serve very well as a meat shield or a puppet to do our bidding.."
As his body slowly sunk down, only Falkone's head was left when he said his parting words, "For the Bloodrenders.."
Yet, before Falkone could sink completely, his eyes widened in shock. Glaring at Cetas, he couldn't even speak before vanishing from the blackscape completely.
In an instant, all of the invasive blood was sucked out of his body and splattered all around the greenery around Cetas!
Cetas woke up standing up, his heart struck with deep Dread. He fell down to the crimson grass, his palms being painted red!
His throat swelled up and he vomited blood, it was not the blood that is of Falkone but rather, it was his own red blood!
Once a hair with a dark-blue hue, now covered in crimson blood! Cetas couldn't help but throw up for a few seconds before feeling his organs become disoriented..
After letting it all out, he looked up and saw Reid and Galkan running towards him.
Suddenly!
A large tendril of blood seeped out of the crevices below the pavement.
It formed a needle-like shape that stretched into a curvature. This tendril faced towards Cetas and aimed to puncture him. However, a barrier made out of light completely dispelled the tendril!
In quick succession, the tendril splattered all across the area - blood covering the cobblestone path.
Then, large footsteps echoed in the distance, the earth quaking along with its slow rhythm.
The blood seemed to be disturbed by this and in the next moment, the crimson blood which seemed to have painted Cetas' surroundings, dissipated. As if they were completely gone, the blood evaporated in thin air!
Even the blood of which Cetas was soaked in vanished completely!
He was back to his normal state!
Cetas stood up and gazed at the direction of the earth-shaking footsteps. Then, he shifted his head towards Reid and the others.
They seemed to have noticed the commotion too and were getting prepared for a battle.
Cetas carefully held the flintlock hidden on his waist, readying his resolve for a battle.
If the Historian's protection of invisibility were still active, then Cetas wouldn't need to worry about his life's danger.
However, he was only recently attacked by none other than Falkone - the Aegir crew's main target for the hunt.
Even with this fact, Cetas deduced that Falkone did not purposefully target him. Instead, he thought about the reasoning behind this supposed failure of an abduction or manipulation.
His mind raced, going through the possible plans that Falkone had. He speculated a total of 3 reasons as to why Falcon had attacked him.
First, Cetas was with the Aegir pirate crew.
That in itself would rouse a certain amount of attention towards even bystanders and innocents. However, Skadi and the others were carefully disguised, looking as if they were really lost sailors.
This disguise, however, was immediately seen through. Therefore, Falkone's interference with Skadi's plan.
Second, it had to have been connected with some sort of mystical power coming from Zeal. If Falkone had a diverse crew, he would at least contain an individual with scouting abilities. Although, this reasoning seemed unlikely as the Historian's protection existed.
Third, it was that Cetas looked like a civilian. Sometimes simplicity does attract suspicion, he was almost too simple to the eye of the enemies. However, it was not because he was too simple, rather, it seemed like Falkone had a deeper meaning than this!
But what?
Cetas couldn't help but question the man's purpose..
Even if he were a mere Spark in the world of Zeal, Cetas had to do something to help!
Just then, a figure of a dark-skinned bald man appeared in the distance, opposite of the fish market's direction.
With each step, the cobblestone pavement left a mark of his shoe. Cracks formed below him as his monstrous presence emanated before Cetas and the others.
Cetas looked in the direction of the tattered wooden house with a semi-broken door.
Inwardly, he asked:
"Where's Skadi?"