Bab 12: Night Discussion
FELIS sighed before answering, popping a meatball into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. The entire boat fell silent, even the ocean's current seemed to pause, as if intrigued by the unfolding conversation. "Yes," he finally said, "I am the one people call Godblast." He nodded, a solemn acknowledgment.
Ash and his three friends stiffened, hearing their captain confirm it with his very own mouth shook away all other possibilities and it left them in awe. "So, what's your real name?" Glit asked, breaking the tense silence.
"Felis," he replied with a smile. "My real name is Felis Ashenford. Most people don't know it; I get called too many names for anyone to pay attention to my actual one."
Ash and the others exchanged glances before turning back to him. "You have a normal name," Kay said, astonished. "That's incredible. I can't believe you've been on the same ship with us for three years and we never knew." He shook his head in disbelief.
Mute turned to Felis and signed something with his fingers. Everyone else looked to Kay for interpretation. "He said that our failure to discover his identity as Godblast is proof of his unmatched power and control," Kay translated and Mute smiled in approval of his accurate translation..
All of them were in awe, and their reason for such a state wasn't unfounded. Godblast was a name that resonated throughout the entire realm. From the vast ocean to the distant outlands of Umbraheim, everyone had heard tales of Godblast and his legendary feats.
Godblast wasn't merely an entity to be revered or respected; he was a legend among legends. Across the world, only five individuals could bear the title 'king' in their name. Among them was the God King Leviathan, the official ruler of the entire world. A man so powerful that people referred to him as a god. The God King epitomized humanity, with people invoking his name in prayers and crafting rites in his image.
The other four were known as the Pirate Kings. These were individuals who dared to defy the rule of a god, setting out to the seas to seek their own freedom and create their own rules. They were already a threat to the divinity of the God King and all who revered him, but the greatest blow came when he fought the pirate king called Godblast.
History had it that Godblast single-handedly destroyed the God King and shattered the House of Ivory, Leviathan's own Royal Palace, in two. When the old man told the children this story, they felt it was fiction. But now, seeing the legend himself sitting before them, they were shaken to their very core.
"So, you really beat the God King?" Glit could barely believe her own words.
"It isn't that simple," Felis replied, his voice heavy with the weight of memory. "We fought, and he was hurt afterward. But the world is not as simple as you think. There's nothing awe-inspiring about me, nothing to be proud of. I am but a sinner, atoning for my sins, seeking forgiveness…"
Ash interrupted, "You're seeking forgiveness from the God King?"
"No," Felis said with a tone of finality. "The God King isn't a god. What I seek atonement from is the very earth itself. The entire universe."
Ash nodded in understanding, then turned to his friends. "Well, the big question here is, why are we here? Why did we leave the boat, and why are we drifting off on a lifeboat, risking our lives?" Kay demanded.
As he spoke, a blackness swept above them, resonating with a screeching sound. The kids shook, clinging to each other like frightened bandits. "Oh, it's the wraiths. They smell me," Rowan chuckled. "We're getting deeper into the night. Let's finish this discussion quickly, so you all can sleep. You'll need your strength tomorrow."
Felis allowed them to settle down before he began. "I believe you have all come to terms with the fact that you are special," he said, his gaze sweeping over all four of them.
"That's old news for us," Kay said, pointing to himself and Mute.
"Wait, you knew?" Ash asked, his surprise evident.
"Yes, in fact, I've used my abilities once or twice," Kay replied with a smile. Mute nodded, backing him up with a sign that included himself in the statement.
"How…?" Ash gasped in disbelief. "I never noticed."
"That's because we used our abilities under the close supervision of the Captain. He told us two of you were Cryptids too, which is why we shared a room. He wanted us all in one place so he could easily protect us but also wanted you guys to have a shot at a normal life," Kay explained.
Felis stood up and downed a bottle of water before he spoke again. "I don't know much about you guys myself, but according to the old man, all four of you are integral to healing this world," he began. "The world, as it is now, wasn't always like this. It was different, better… Ages thinks you can bring that back."
"Us?" Kay was the first to speak. "Me?" He smiled. "Well, I've always felt I was part of a higher calling."
Ash, however, seemed more thoughtful. "Before he died, the old man told me something, like he was in a trance. It felt like a prophecy," he muttered. "Was he a Cryptid too?"
Felis smiled. "No, not really. The old man is something from beyond, something even I cannot fully understand. When I met him, he felt alien and knew little of the world's ways. You will meet him again someday, and I hope by then he will be more willing to share information about himself," he said with a knowing smile.
"He isn't dead?" Ash asked. "They found his robes, the wraiths took him," he explained.
"It would take more than night wraiths to kill someone like him, I am certain he is alive," Felis nodded.
They were still confused, but many of their questions had been answered—only to be replaced by even more questions, ones they knew had no immediate answers. "I guess it's time to sleep," Rowan declared.
Glit nodded. "One last thing though, where are we headed?"
"Ashen Reach," Rowan answered. "Now park it up, time to go to bed." They grumbled a bit but soon enough, they were all asleep, except the two adults who kept watch, gazing into the bright night.
Hadiah
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