Chapter 973: Memories, Oh Memories
[Wait, I think I should be providing visuals for this.]
[Oh that’s not-]
Hrk
[Okay, never mind…]
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[Is this the last of the refugees?]
[I think so.]
[That’s the only reason I can think of having to hide away the galleon, now of all times.]
After hours of back-to-back refugee transports, the sudden silence was both a relieving and anxiety inducing.
Relieving in the sense that the Strange Bloods didn’t have to worry about anyone civilians being in harm’s way.
Anxiety inducing because, now they had no idea how the Storm Queen and the Storm Knights were fairing.
Every time the galleon arrived with refugees, it was accompanied by a rotating member of the Storm Knights.
A part of the Strange Bloods assumed that this was merely a sense of duty, chivalry in making sure someone guides the people to safety.
Another part though wondered if they came along so that they could have a brief breather before going back into the fray. And if that was the case, who or what was attacking Undertow so badly that it warranted such action?
Unfortunately, the Strange Bloods and the refugees of Undertow wouldn’t find out until the very next day.
To be more precise, they wouldn’t find out until Marlancer returned from the frontlines.
[Sir Marlancer is back!]
[Does that mean we can go home?]
[Wait…why does he look so…defeated?]
[Oh no…]
In their collective memories, the Strange Bloods and the people of Undertow had only ever seen faces of triumph and joy on the faces of the Storm Knights. They were the kingdom’s greatest warriors, protectors and all around embodiments of what it meant it be a hero in the most trying of circumstances.
However, there was one time they remembered where they looked this sad and defeated: it was because of the death of one of their own.
The Storm Knights, despite their wildly different looks, saw each other as family and looked out for each other in much the same way.
So the fact that Marlancer, one of the swiftest and most chivalrous of the Storm Knights, returned with such a forlorn expression on his face, with injuries that would’ve killed most other men covering his body, implied that something terrible had happened.
And unfortunately, that implication was right.
[People of Undertow…I am sorry. We have managed to take down the one that threatened our home, but it has come at a terrible cost. Jin…the Storm Queen has fallen, alongside my fellow Storm Knights,] Marlancer announced before paying for a few moments so that people could catch up to his words. The reactions were… understandably distressed.
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[We had managed to defeat the enemy, but alas, the bastard had one last trick up his sleeve: an all or nothing suicide attack that almost levelled the entire city in one fell swoop. Had it not been for the sacrifice of my brothers, sisters and Queen, Undertow would now be a distant memory. A popped bubble on the sea.]
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Fear, confusion and sadness lingered in the air after Marlancer’s announcement, but Marlancer wasn’t one to let such a mood linger for too long.
After all, it was one of the tenets of the Storm Knights to be the calm after turbulent events.
[People of Undertow, I know things are less than ideal, so please listen. As of this moment, the Storm Queen has passed and only myself and one other knight, Tortallion, remains. I understand completely if you believe that now is a good time as any to leave for safer waters, but know this. For as long as myself and Tortallion live, we shall protect the entirety of Undertow and all of her people. It is what she would want. However, she also understands that some may wish to move on, so I will state this: at noon tomorrow, I will return to Undertow with whomever wishes to return as well. So please, take this time to consider everything and make your decision then. I will be…patrolling the area for the time being.]
Marlancer’s announcement was shocking at minimum and absolutely world shattering at most.
In the span of a few hours, a day, the most powerful warriors these people had ever known had suddenly been wiped from the face of Valresta.
Reactions to this news was understandably mixed.
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As the people panicked at Marlancer’s words, one particular individual thought that there was a little more to the story: the chief of the Strange Bloods.
[Hmmm.]
Compelled by this gut feeling, he went to go and see if Marlancer had anything else he needed to say.
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[What happened that day, my ancestors chose not to record in our blood memory,] Chief Tusk explained as the illusionary image he had made disappeared into nothingness after showing an ancestral chief of the Strange Bloods approaching a much healthier and younger looking Marlancer. [But what is know that this was the only time any of my ancestors had ever seen a kaijin warrior…cry.]
[Huh…]
At these words, Zhen Liu recalled the last moment of Marlancer, and how the warrior acted with madness before he went out in a blaze of glory and honor. That particular death haunted him, even to this day, but perhaps it was for the best.
Immortality had always been a weird though to Zhen Liu, back when he Thomas Lee at least. It’s hard to imagine what it must’ve been like, living this long with such…grief.
‘That stated,’ Zhen Liu mused, ‘it sounds as if Marlancer should’ve broken down earlier…so why didn’t he?’
As Zhen Liu mused on this thought though, Chief Tusk began to explain about the diary.
[Marlancer gave my predecessor that book, staring that the Storm Queen wanted a more personal record of her life to be in safer hands. In his words, this book has two layers to it. One meant for the eyes of the princess, and one meant for the eyes of his successor. Our tribe has kept it safe for years, alongside the wheel, in hopes that maybe the two would be one in the same. Then again, we also thought this event would happen within a decade, not centuries.]
At this statement, Zhen Liu couldn’t help but look away in embarrassment.
[But…that doesn’t change the fact that you are here now, and that you’re apparently lovers with the princess.]
[How did you -]
[Kaijin.]
[Blabbering S.O.Bs…]
[Regardless,] Chief Tusk continued. [It only makes sense for us to give you this book now. Maybe there’s something in there that will help you in your journeys ahead.]
[Maybe…]
A moment of silence befell Zhen Liu and Chief Tusk as the former continued to look over the exterior of the gifted diary. However, it was broken by the latter due to a question that had formed in his mind.
[Kaijin Lord Zhen Liu, you’re planning to go to Undertow Kingdom in the near future, yes? Hence the need for the wheel and the galleon?]
[Indeed, I am.]
[In that case…I know it might be too much to ask, but can you take us with you when you go?]
[Eh? Why?]
[All of us are not just descendants of the original Storm Knights, but people who decided to stay behind in the belief it was safer than returning to Undertow,] Chief Tusk explained. [A part of us wants to return, but many of us simply want to see what this homeland of ours looks like now. Memories and stories…only paint a partial picture after all.]
[Ah…]
Zhen Liu thought about Chief Tusk’s request before ultimately nodding in agreement. Besides, it was never a bad thing to have more manpower on hand in case shit went sideways.
[I can’t make any promises, because I have been hearing rumblings of bad things occurring in the Abyssal Lands, but if you and your warriors understand the risks, I can’t see any reason why to refuse.]
[Really?! Thank you, Kaijin Lord Zhen Liu!,] Chief Tusk said with profuse gratitude as he got on his knees and bowed.
[That said, please keep in mind that you and your boys may need to work on more than one vessel.]
[More than one?,] Chief Tusk asked in confusion. [What do you mean?]
[Well, if it ain’t obvious from my appearance, I’m technically part of my own clan of warriors. As we speak, the elders of my clan are attempting to acquire their own means of traversing the Abyssal Lands, and we intend to explore the place together. You shouldn’t worry about their survivability, as they’re about as strong, if not stronger than me, and some of them in know about…all this.]
[Ah…I see.]
As Zhen Liu shared this information though, he thought of his great grand aunt, grandfather, uncles and a father.
‘I wonder how their trip is going?’
Spoiler alert…meh.
