The mana dissolving potion was just an ordinary liquid to Nier and Lucia. Wait, no, correction. Lucia would probably die on the spot as I did if she drank it. However, it was basically lava to the flood corpses outside. It was the same as Altair to water, because they’d instantly dissolve.
The mana dissolving potion spilt onto a flood corpse’s foot, and the flood corpse instantly dissolved, starting from its foot until nothing remained. It completely melded in with the liquid on the floor. The mana dissolving potion dispersed on the deck leisurely as opposed to aggressively. Only half of the flood corpses were still moving about, albeit slowly. It melted any flood corpses it made contact with. The flood corpses were clueless as to what happened. All that was left for them to do was wait to be erased from existence. Nier was so stunned that she had no words.
I pushed the door open. The sea breeze and ice-cold droplets of water splashed onto my face. I stepped outside. The Valkyries, who were on the deck huffing and puffing, blankly watched the flood corpses vanish right before their eyes. They had no idea what happened. They probably perceived the red liquid spreading across the deck to be blood. The flood corpses were dissolved as fast as they overtook the deck. The Valkyries swiftly dispatched the remaining flood corpses, and we reoccupied the deck.
“Your Majesty…”
“Lucky, lucky. I thought the flood corpses were complete mana entities and would be dissolved…”
“That’s not entirely true. Some of them can still move, albeit very few of them.”
Lucia looked at the dissolving agent on the ground and treaded carefully, as the mana dissolving potion on the ground was lethal to her and I.
“We’ve overcome our plight, then. I still have a few bottles of mana dissolving potion. I want to go and assist the other ship,” I said.
I ran to the edge of the deck. The initially calm waters had turned tempestuous. Big waves moved our ship forward but in a most rocky manner. The waves smashed onto the sides of our ship, splashing white stinky water all over us. I wiped the water off my face. It was virtually impossible to hang onto the rails, for they were wet.
I narrowed my eyes to try and pinpoint the location of the other ship in the turbulent waters. I had no clue where we were. I holed up in my room right from the start, so I didn’t have the foggiest idea as to what happened outside. I didn’t know if the ship could be steered normally, as the crew went into frenzy and frantically ran, while the Valkyries paid no attention. How would we steer the ship without a crew?
Our surroundings were so dark; it was as though I was blind. In fact, I couldn’t even see the water below. The moon in the sky was seemingly blocked. Personally, not having a moon would make me feel very comfortable; hence, I practically didn’t feel anything on the full-moon night. As a matter of fact, I suspected if it truly was a full-moon night or not. I couldn’t use magic; I’d die if I used it. Peering into the darkness, I belted, “Where’s that ship?! Where’s that ship?!”
From behind, Nier shouted, “I don’t know! I can’t see a thing!!”
Lucia’s small body wobbled on the ship as if she was going to be blown off. She clung tightly to my cloak and exclaimed, “Your Highness, let’s go back! Let’s return to the room! The stormy waves outside are too strong. We’ll be thrown into the sea if we lose our footing!”
“Where’s that ship?! Why can’t I see that ship?!”
A Valkyrie behind me shouted, “If you are looking for Her Highness’s ship, we have split up with her. They seemed to have reduced their speed. They were always behind us; however, I do not know where it is now!”
I dallied for a moment. I then turned around and went up to the Valkyrie. I grabbed her uniform and thundered, “Where are they?! Where are they?!”
The Valkyrie was a little startled. She raised her voice: “I… I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t know, Your Majesty. I don’t know, either! I don’t know where they have drifted off to. All we can feel right now are the waves throwing us around. We have no idea where we currently are or where they are!”
“True…” I uttered.
I let go of the Valkyrie and slowly took two steps back. I went up to the rails and scanned the dark surroundings; I was at a complete lost for what to do. I gripped the railing tight enough to dig my fingernails into the timber. I focused my gaze on a dark flame. I prayed I’d see a speck of a flame. I didn’t know where they were. As a matter of fact, I had no idea where I was… I muttered under my breath, “Mom…”
My cloak was glued to my body. I was shivering so much, I felt as though I was on the verge of puking. I dejectedly discovered that I was literally the same as I was in the past. I thought I conquered the North and ruled the entire anthropoid race, but… but… I was still powerless when my mom and my family met with danger. I wanted to find them, but I didn’t have any means to.
Silently, I questioned, “What should I do? What should I do? Is there anybody who can tell me what I should do? What exactly should I do? There’s nothing in this vast ocean that I can use to navigate. What in the world should I do?! I just know that I should go and protect my family. I should go and find my moms. I should stand by their side. I might not be able to help them, but I want to know that they are safe and sound. I want to go to their side! They’re currently in danger! I can’t just stay here in the rear and do nothing!”
I faced the deck and yelled, “Is the crew still around?! Is there any crew member left who can operate the ship?!”
A Valkyrie responded, “All of the crew have reached the cabin. They should still be alive, Your Majesty!”
“Call them out. It doesn’t matter or not if we can find them, but we need to get moving first and foremost. We can’t just drift around the way we are. We must move. Figure out where we are first!”
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! We saw another ship! We saw another ship approach us! There is another ship! Look, there is a shadow over there!!”
Nier roared at the Valkyrie, “That might not be a ship but the wyrm! Prepare for battle! If it’s the wyrm, you must be prepared to die. If it’s a pirate gang or something, charge onto their ship and show me a brilliant melee!”
“Crew, get out here! You’ve seen flood corpses already; are you telling me you’re scared of a group of humans?! Get over to the cannons! Get over to the cannons!”
The Valkyries forced the crew inside the cabin out. The crew had yet to recover from the fright the flood corpses gave them. From my side and in a slightly scared tone, Lucia asked, “Your Highness, do you think they’re humans or the wyrm?”
“I actually hope it’s the wyrm.” I looked in the direction of the approaching shadow. The shadow was approaching us. Alas, we had no clue as to what it was. All we saw was a blocky shadow. I gritted my teeth, “I hope it’s the wyrm, because we won’t have to search for Queen Vyvyan and Empress Elizabeth if it’s the wyrm. They’ll find their way to us when they chase it down!”
Glossary
*Altair – Assassin’s Creed’s Altair and his infamous inability to swim.
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