The ship's lounge was warm and softly lit, the kind of space designed to make long voyages feel less endless. Cushioned chairs were scattered around a low table, mugs and half-empty cups resting wherever hands had last abandoned them. The faint creak of wood and the rhythmic hush of waves against the hull bled in through the walls, a constant reminder that they were far from land now—suspended between destinations.
Vael lounged lazily in one of the chairs, legs draped over the armrest, swirling the amber liquid in her cup with idle amusement. Her posture screamed relaxation, but her eyes were sharp, observant, flicking every so often toward the window where Zera stood.
Zera leaned against the glass, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the rolling ocean beyond. The light caught on her profile, outlining the quiet tension she carried even in moments of rest. She looked like someone perpetually braced for a fight that might never come.
Vael smirked.
"You know, Zera," she said casually, her tone smooth and deceptively light, "I've been meaning to ask…"
Zera's eyes shifted toward her, one brow lifting slightly. "Ask what?"
Vael leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. The playful edge in her expression sharpened into something more focused. "Where did you get those abilities? You don't fight like anyone I've seen. Not even close."
Eryndra, seated nearby with a cup of tea in hand, perked up instantly. A grin tugged at her lips as she set the cup aside. "I was wondering the same thing. That last fight? You moved like a shadow."
Mei, who had been sitting quietly with her hands folded in her lap, looked up as well. Her curiosity was gentler, less probing, but no less sincere. "You never really told us," she said softly. "And that arm—well, new arm now—makes me wonder even more."
Zera looked away.
For a moment, the playful hum of the room dimmed. Her expression shifted, the easy sharpness dulling into something heavier, something old. She stared at the ocean as if weighing whether to let the truth surface or bury it beneath silence where it had always lived.
Vael noticed immediately. Her smirk softened, just a little.
"Come on," she said, quieter now. "Don't get all mysterious on us."
Zera exhaled slowly, then turned back toward them, arms crossing tighter across her chest. "It's not really a secret," she said. "Just… complicated."
Eryndra leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees, eyes bright with interest. "Try us. We travel with Reider. You think complicated scares us?"
That earned a faint smirk from Zera, fleeting but real. She shook her head slightly. "My family comes from a line of assassins," she said plainly. "We were raised to use mana in… unnatural ways."
Vael's posture straightened. "Unnatural how?"
Zera didn't answer immediately. Instead, she raised her hand.
Dark energy bled into the air around her fingers—thin, wispy strands of something that looked like shadow but felt heavier, denser. It coiled around her skin, pulsing faintly, wrong in a way that made the room seem colder.
"By corrupting it," Zera said flatly.
Mei gasped, sitting upright. "Corrupted mana? But… isn't that dangerous? To you?"
Zera nodded once. "It eats away at us. Slowly. But it gives power no one else has. Speed. Silence. Strength that lets you kill before they even notice."
Vael leaned forward, seriousness replacing her usual teasing. "And that's what you used in the fight?"
Zera turned back toward the window, her reflection faint against the glass. "Yeah. And I paid for it when Veyra took my arm."
Eryndra watched her closely now, the grin gone. "Is that why you fought so hard?" she asked gently. "You wanted to prove something?"
Zera's eyes darkened, her voice lowering. "I had to. My people… my family… were wiped out. Killed by Lucian's church because we refused to serve them."
Silence fell.
Vael's expression hardened, her jaw tightening. "So you've been fighting alone all this time…"
Zera glanced back at her, a faint smirk returning, fragile but defiant. "Not anymore. You lot are annoying enough to count as allies."
Eryndra broke into a wide grin, reaching over to nudge Zera's arm. "Aw. You do like us."
Zera rolled her eyes. "Don't push it."
Mei smiled warmly, relief softening her features. "I'm glad you're with us now. You don't have to carry that alone."
Zera gave her a small nod. "Yeah… thanks."
Vael leaned back, grin returning in full force. "Still, I love how she says we're annoying. Almost like she likes us more than she admits."
"Keep talking," Zera shot back, "and I'll show you how annoying I can be."
Eryndra laughed. "Please do."
Mei giggled softly. "Alright, enough teasing."
Vael tilted her chair back dangerously. "Fair enough. But Zera… welcome to the family. Whether you like it or not."
Zera smiled faintly. "Thanks."
Outside, unaware of the conversation unfolding within, Reider stood at the edge of the deck, wind tugging at his cloak as he watched the endless waves roll on.
The ship cut forward through the sea.
Then—
The sky cracked.
A jagged, golden tear ripped open above the ship, space itself screaming in protest. Light spilled from the fracture like molten metal, warping the air around it.
Reider looked up.
"Hm."
Something fell.
A girl with long silver hair and sharp violet eyes burst through the裂, flailing wildly as she plummeted toward the deck. "AHHHHH! What the hell—?!"
Reider stepped forward and caught her effortlessly.
She stared up at him, wide-eyed, breathless. "Y-You…!"
She scrambled free instantly, landing hard and backing away in panic. "Y-You're that monster! I felt that terrifying aura weeks ago! D-Don't come near me!"
Reider crossed his arms. "…You're welcome."
The others rushed out.
"What now?" Vael asked.
The girl pointed dramatically at Reider. "I'm Leona, mistress of charm and magic!"
Pink runes flared.
"Prepare to fall madly in love with me!"
The spell fizzled.
Nothing happened.
"Are you done?" Reider asked.
Leona froze. "That's… not possible."
"Yeah," Eryndra smirked. "Good luck with that."
Vael whispered to Mei. Mei giggled.
Leona summoned fire. "Watch out!"
"…Put that out."
She froze.
"You're not a threat," Reider said calmly.
Vael rested an arm on his shoulder. "You'll get used to him."
Reider walked away.
"Wake me when we arrive."
Leona stared after him, stunned.
What kind of man is he?
The ship sailed on.
Toward destiny.