Roy stared in amazement at the mushroom cloud staining the horizon where the Coralborn fleet had once gathered. The shockwave's tremor reached the Nightshatter seconds later, rattling loose rails and sending a wave of nervous awe through the crew. Lutrian gripped the nearest console, eyes wide, while Warrex's jaw clenched in silent dread.
"So that's… your power," Warrex finally managed, voice low. "I was beginning to think you were quite weak."
Roy nodded slowly, unable to tear his gaze from the distant inferno. "Indubitably."
Remarkably, a piece of the Brinebreaker was still floating, but it was not for long. They watched until the last remnant of it vanished beneath dark waves. Then Roy steered away, mind churning. After a day's sailing, morning dawned over the ship's quiet brig.
Kaelor of the Reef stirred on the cold floor, bruised torso-mouth still missing teeth from Warrex's final punch. He turned and noticed Riven in the adjoining cell, sprawled on his cot, gut overflowing. Snack wrappers were scattered at his feet.
"Figures," Kaelor muttered. "Riven, always needing his brother to save him from the trouble he inevitably finds himself in."
Riven shrugged, one hand idly patting his bulging stomach. "We share the same trouble, looks like."
Kaelor grimaced at the sight. "You're an even more pathetic sight than usual. Caligos is going to have you running for months if you ever get out of here."
Riven just tore open another snack, stuffing it in his mouth, cheeks puffed. Kaelor sighed. "Well, time to make our escape."
"No, wait—" Riven started, but Kaelor already grabbed the thick metal bars. With a burst of inhuman strength, he ripped the door free and flung it across the corridor. It clanged against the cell at the corridor's end—a cell that looked draped in curtains.
Kaelor strode into the hallway, sneering at the alarm klaxon blaring above. "Such a pathe—" he began, only to freeze at the sudden rattle of bones.
"Who dares make this much noise?" croaked a voice from behind the curtain. "I was in the middle of a splendid nap!"
The curtain tore aside, revealing Father Skeleton, wearing his usual baseball cap, sneakers still wet from his second shower of the day. Kaelor's dorsal fin flattened. The memory of ancient legends coursed through his thoughts—an Immortal Family member, standing right here.
"I have yet to eat my morning lunch," Father Skeleton said loudly, rubbing his bony chin. "And you break innocent bars like a twisted ruffian? Not appreciated."
Kaelor felt genuine terror coil in his gut. "I—I apologize, exalted one," he mumbled, bowing. "May I pass?"
Father Skeleton's head snapped to Kaelor, and he lifted his baseball hat. For a heartbeat, his tone shifted and his voice rumbled with a lethal resonance that even Roy, monitoring the camera, could feel. "No one... said you may speak."
He chattered his teeth angrily, then glanced at the exit. "I'm behind on my third shower of the day. I'll take my leave."
Kaelor waited, heart pounding, as Father Skeleton stomped away. The moment the skeleton was gone, Kaelor tried stepping forward again, only for another set of curtains to swish aside.
Skelly Mom emerged, wearing a robe and slippers. She glowered at Kaelor. "Did Roy say you could leave?" she asked, voice cold as a grave.
Kaelor didn't hesitate. Swallowing his pride, he picked up the door he'd ripped off and trudged back to his cell. He propped it crookedly over the doorway, then sat, hands folded in his lap, eyes down.
On the bridge, Roy watched the footage in horror. "What… what have I unleashed onto the world?" he whispered.
They convened a meeting in the ship's small lounge, the day's heat pouring through open vents. Takara lay on a padded bench, her injured arm braced in a sling. She looked weary but tried to smile. Roy himself struggled to hide the trembling in his hands. The battle had rattled him more than he cared to admit.
Washington stood with arms crossed, posture rigid. "The hull sustained no real damage," he reported. "The railgun and cannons remain fully operational."
Lincoln nodded. "All weapons at your command, Captain. A fine haul of treasure, enough to replenish our funds and then some."
Roy turned to Warrex and Lutrian. "Any thoughts on our next steps?"
They reviewed footage of the fight, from boarding tactics to Kaelor's insane power. Serenity had captured everything on drone recordings. Roy sugested they review the footage, Warrex and Lutrian pointed out mistakes and areas for improvement.
At last, Roy decided. "We'll go back to Noruma. Let's take it easy for a while."
Days passed as the ship powered on, leaving the memory of the Coralborn behind. Roy insisted Warrex learn to shower properly, showing him how to twist the knobs and set the water temperature. Warrex stripped off his ragged tunic, revealing a landscape of scars and burns that made Roy's stomach knot with sympathy and anger. His dense muscles and weathered wounds spoke of a lifetime of violence. Roy noticed that Warrex adjusted his hair to hide his burned ears.
Roy awkwardly mumbled "Your size probably needs just a bit more soap, I guess," then fled in a hurry.
Warrex had only just turned on the water, relishing the thought of some peace, when a light rapping sounded on the shower stall door. He froze until a familiar rattling voice reached his ears.
"Pardon me, dear boy," Father Skeleton called, tone dripping with politeness. "I do believe I requested this very stall first. My poor, bony joints can't bear the wait."
Warrex rolled his eyes, letting the hot water cascade over his shoulders. "Too bad," he muttered, loud enough that Father Skeleton could catch it. "I'm not done."
A brief silence followed, then a soft series of clacks as the door inched open anyway. Warrex clenched his teeth. "I said I'm not—"
"Mind if I pop in for a second?" Father Skeleton interrupted, already stepping inside as though Warrex had welcomed him. Bits of stray water dripped off Warrex's hair, and he had to fight the urge to bolt. "Actually," Father Skeleton added in a bright tone, "I've been meaning to ask, what's your favorite food? I personally love fish, raw or boiled or… oh, perhaps a nice marinade with Roy's yellow orbs he calls lemon!"
Warrex's only reply was a stony silence. He turned his back and let the water pound down, hoping Father Skeleton would take a hint and vanish. But the skeleton lingered, jabbering on about different sauces and cooking techniques. Every mention of "juicy flavors" or "dripping fillets" made Warrex's stomach clench in annoyance.
Eventually, his patience wore thin. "Father Skeleton," he said flatly, "I'm leaving now."
"Why, so rude!" Father Skeleton chirped as his shoes squeaked on the floor. "Well, I guess you never were much of a talker, dear boy. Hope you enjoyed your rinse!"
-
Eryndra caught Roy near the helm console, arms folded in that familiar stance that meant she had a request. "Captain," she began evenly, "I'd like clearance to fight Kaelor. One-on-one."
Roy didn't even look up from his notes. "Really?" He let out a low sigh, switching a pen from one hand to the other. "Eryndra, there's no sense bullying him. We've already beaten him, and I'm not big on pointless beatdowns."
She visibly bristled. "He nearly killed Takara, and Warrex practically died finishing him off. I want my turn."
Roy looked at her at last, shaking his head. "I get it, but no. Kaelor's locked up. We're done here."
Eryndra exhaled slowly, biting back an argument. "Fine," she muttered, stalking off. Warrex, leaning against the railing nearby, caught her eye and gave a slight shrug as if to say he wasn't keen to fight Kaelor again, either.
Shortly afterward, Roy entered the bridge to find Serenity was sporting a second bud. He blinked. "A bud? Seriously, are we turning into a greenhouse now?"
Takara, poking her head up from behind a console, tilted her head in curiosity. "Might be some new evolutionary stage for her AI systems. In theory, anyway. Hard to say."
Roy snorted. "Next, we'll probably grow potatoes in the engine room."
Later that evening, Lutrian rushed to the deck, calling the crew to see an enormous dolphin-like monster breaching alongside the ship, water spraying in silver arcs. "Don't worry, it's harmless," he assured them. "These big guys sometimes follow vessels they sense as friendly."
Even Father Skeleton and Skellbro—who seemed at least a head taller than before—drifted over, bickering about who got to stand closest to the rail. "Let me see the fishy, dear," Father Skeleton insisted, grabbing Skellbro's arm. Skellbro clattered in protest. They both ended up pressing their faces—or rather, skulls—against the rails, marveling at the gentle sea beast. Warrex hovered a few steps back, arms folded, quietly observing the graceful creature dance in the twilight.
That night, the water lay mirror-still, so Roy declared a makeshift "sleepover" on the flight deck. Dozens of Presidroids rolled out mats under a sky thick with stars. Eryndra flung herself down, arms behind her head. Warrex settled a few feet away, silent as usual, while Lutrian toyed with a small orb of light in his hand, tracing bright arcs against the dark.
Father Skeleton and Skelly Mom argued over prime blanket territory. Skelly Mom insisted she found the perfect spot first, Father Skeleton claimed he needed special room to "air out his joints." The entire deck was soon a swirl of murmured jokes, the hush of waves, and the gleam of starlight on steel. Takara snuggled under a spare blanket, exhaustion in her eyes but a soft smile on her lips.
Roy, lying flat with his arms behind his head, couldn't help but grin at the odd family they'd formed. Skeletons squabbling, Warrex half asleep, Eryndra gazing thoughtfully at the sky, Lutrian quietly conjuring shapes of light, and the presidroids politely standing guard.
By sunrise, they saw land once again. Noruma's familiar coastline rose in the distance. But as they neared, Roy's blood chilled. Columns of dark smoke twisted above the village. He and Lutrian stood at the railing, hearts pounding.
"What's happened?" Lutrian murmured, voice tense.
Roy said nothing at first, fingers digging into the rail. Then he swallowed. "Guess our rest will have to wait."
The Nightshatter drifted closer, the sight of the damaged village looming before them. Smoke curled from shattered rooftops, and even from afar, the atmosphere felt grim. Roy's mind raced and he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at his stomach.
From the Nightshatter's bridge, he could see pillars of smoke drifting above the familiar coastline, as though grey fingers were pointing accusingly at him. Noruma, his refuge, his peaceful haven, looked battered, even from a distance. The battered gates stood partly ajar, and chunks of the wooden walls had splintered or burned.
He steered the ship closer, a churning pit of dread in his gut. The moment the Nightshatter anchored, Roy and several Presidroids hurried ashore. Villagers milled about in tense clusters, many sporting scrapes or bruises. To his relief, no one looked gravely injured.
An unfamiliar man glowered the second he spotted Roy. He stormed up, jabbing a finger at Roy's chest.
"You brought this on us, you lunatic!" he shouted, voice echoing through the scorched courtyard. "They came looking for the so-called 'God of Slaves and Thunder.' You and your damned ship!"
Roy paled, guilt roaring inside. Then came the children, two or three local kids who admired Roy. One of them shoved the man hard against a broken fence post.
"Don't talk about Mister Roy like that!" the smallest one growled, her voice trembling but resolute. "He saved us from the last raid, remember?"
Roy's throat tightened. Somehow, seeing kids stand up for him made his heart ache worse.
Maelara emerged, her tall frame tense. She gently eased the children back. "That's enough," she said, turning to Roy with a grave expression. "I'm glad you came quickly."
Roy swallowed. "Is everyone all right?"
She took a slow breath. "Mostly frightened. No casualties." She looked at the damaged houses, the scorched gates. "But the Umbral Consortium threatened us. They said you, 'the God of Slaves and Thunder', harassed a royal. And because you're known to frequent this village, they wanted to 'send a message' so you'd stop meddling in empire affairs."
Roy's eyes flickered with anger. "Sending a message by attacking innocents?"
She nodded grimly. "Seems so."
Roy's hand shot to the communicator at his belt. "Serenity," he said tersely, "prime the largest nuke we have. We'll blow the Umbral Consortium's capital to dust in one shot."
Maelara's eyes went wide. "No! My family lives in Noctara. You'd kill them all. Surely there's another way."
Roy's anger trembled on the edge of panic. "They almost destroyed Noruma. If I'd wiped that entire empire out before, this wouldn't have happened." His breath hitched. "I'll never let this happen again. I…"
A sudden voice called from behind. "Roy! You gotta hurry!"
Tadanori, Grandma Hisa's grandson, gripped Roy by the waist. His face was streaked with tears. "It's Grandma Hisa… she's..."
Roy tore off in a sprint toward Hisa's cottage. Though the roof was intact and walls undamaged, inside lay a different kind of devastation. Hisa breathed shallowly on a small bed, eyes faraway, mumbling nonsense.
Tadanori explained between sobs, "She was fine before the attack… now she's just… her mind is… it's like her whole body is shutting down. Please, Roy, help."
Roy panicked, fumbling for the communicator. "Serenity, what can I do? Send a drone with medication… anything."
Within minutes, a small medical drone hovered through the open window, dispensing a range of pills Serenity explained were for calming nerves, reducing inflammation, stabilizing heart arrhythmias. They administered everything. But after a couple of hours, Hisa's breathing only grew shallower. Roy's chest felt tight as Tadanori wept beside her bed.
Roy's earpiece crackled with a soft, subdued hum. Serenity's voice came through a moment later, so quiet he had to lean closer to hear:
"Captain, on the AllPhone there are files regarding an experimental treatment that never made it out of human trials," she said, each word weighted with caution. "It's shown brief improvement in advanced dementia patients, moments of lucidity, even. But… almost every test subject died soon after."
Roy grimaced, running a hand over his face. "So it works, then kills them. Not much of a solution, is it?"
A pause lingered on the line. Then Serenity answered, even softer than before. "Unfortunately, no. It's just an option. I wouldn't recommend it unless you were truly desperate."
He let out a long breath, shutting his eyes. "Thanks for letting me know."
Roy turned to Tadanori, voice quivering. "There's… something else we can try, but it's likely to—"
Tadanori took in a ragged breath. "She's going to die anyway, right?"
Roy nodded.
"Then do it. If… if it'll give us even a minute to talk properly, I want that."
They administered the injection. Roy and the drone backed away, tension coiling in the room like a tangible force. For a moment, Hisa's breath hitched violently; Tadanori's knuckles went white as he clutched her hand.
Then, miraculously, the old woman's eyes focused. She slowly sat upright, her once-cloudy gaze filled with recognition.
"Tadanori… you look so grown up," she said, sounding like her old self. Her grandson broke down crying, laughing and sobbing simultaneously as she clasped his face. They shared tender words, hushed and warm, while Roy slipped out the door to give them privacy.
Outside, the air smelled of burnt timber and salt from the distant sea. Roy found Maelara standing near the battered fence, scanning the horizon with an unsettled expression.
He cleared his throat. "I… sorry. This is my fault."
Maelara folded her arms. "Your presence does bring trouble, but you've also saved us. It's not that simple."
Roy found himself shaking. "But it should be! If I'd nuked that entire empire earlier, maybe no one would have dared…"
A dazzling aura of raw mana burst around Roy, so vast it seemed to blot out the sky. Maelara had to shield her eyes. "Roy, think about this!" She could barely stand to look at him, the light was too intense.
Then Eryndra was there, appearing quietly by Roy's side. She laid a gentle hand on his cheek, pulling him to face her. Their eyes met, close enough that Roy felt her breath.
"It's okay," she said softly. "It's okay to be angry. To be sad." She nodded to the village around them. "No one here blames you."
He felt tears swelling, memories of all the times he'd been helpless welling up. "But I—"
Eryndra shushed him with a slight slap. "Enough of that. Focus on helping, not hurting, remember?"
He wiped his eyes, exhaling shakily, then barked out a bitter chuckle. "Serenity… prime the nuke!"
Maelara jolted. "What? That's exactly what she told you not to—"
Roy waved a dismissive hand. "I'm joking!" He paused. "Well, half-joking."
She stared at him, uncertain if she should be relieved. "Go on," she said warily.
Roy's voice softened. "I'll make them fear me, but without killing innocents." He gestured for Eryndra to remain quiet, cutting off whatever she meant to say next.
"Serenity, deploy the fighter jet. Scan the region near Noctara. Find a safe zone to detonate a… let's say 100-megaton nuke as a demonstration of force. A big show in the sky, no casualties."
The communicator crackled. "Roger that, Captain. An airburst at safe altitude should suffice."
He scratched his chin. "Also, get me four heavy-lift drones. They can carry a big white sheet. And we'll need one of our best projectors—"
Suddenly, Roy froze, a strange look crossing his face. "Wait, Maelara… Did you say they call me the 'God of Slaves'? Like I enslave people?"
She shrugged helplessly. "They said 'God of Slaves and Thunder.' Doesn't mean we believe—"
Roy's eye twitched. "Serenity, launch a hundred nukes, destroy them all!"
"Noooo!" Maelara cried, half-panicked."
He let out a short laugh. "Relax, I'm just venting."
She shook her head and closed her eyes, exasperated. Eryndra smirked behind Roy, though Roy still felt the knot of anger in his chest. He gave Maelara a steady look.
"I'll send them a message they won't forget," he said. "A harmless message, but a loud one. If they keep harassing my village, next time, it won't be so harmless."
Maelara nodded slowly, relief and lingering worry etched across her features. No one quite knew what Roy had in mind. But for now, with Grandma Hisa's final moments spent in peace and the village slowly rebuilding, Roy did his best to keep that aura of rage at bay, determined to protect these people, his people.