Alasla: The New Age

Chapter Thirty-Eight - The War of Dawn

Ralph grunted himself awake half ways throughout the chaos. His face slammed against Paulie's back occasionally as he sprinted across the panicked streets of Deus Maris. In the chaos, he caught sight of Lucas, holding up Rain.

"Lily told me to give this back!" He cried. Then threw the sword in Ralph's direction.

She returned it. Ralph widens his eyes.

He barely catches it, with one final, longing glimpse, Lucas' frail body disappeared amidst the crowd that rushed for the boats at the port. The overcast ahead had the coloration of a grey wolf. The waves snarled upon the shore, dragging down unsuspected Noir-vols into the dark, fathomless sea.

The tsunami was caused by Forrest. It's hitting the city.

"Paulie!" He called in his ear, tucking Rain back into his belt. "Watch it! In front of you!"

The prince looked around just in time to jump away from a large wave that crashed down where they were seconds ago. In the mess, Ralph caught a peek of Paulie's face behind his scarf.

He widens his eyes. Are those... Ice?

But soon, his scarf falls back around his cheeks, and he lets Ralph down onto the slippery beach.

He turns to the others, who were followed up closely behind.

"Are you alright?" Cecilia asked, Ralph, nodded.

"Your sword!" Eve pointed out in surprise, Ralph returned her a small smile.

"We need to find a way out," Paulie announced through the wind. "This had happened totally unprepared."

"Well, swimming is out of the question," Ralph bit his lips, watching the Noir-Vols' boats slowly disappearing over the horizon. "Boat? Do we even have one?"

"How did you get here in the first place?" Cecilia questioned, flicking a brow at Paulie.

"That you don't have to worry," he coughed awkwardly, looking away.

"Can you perhaps freeze the sea?" Eve contemplated.

"Technically, yes, but the waves are too large." They retreated further inland as the waves smashed up the land. He tried to freeze a nearby area of sea experimentally, but his ice cracked and crumbled as soon as they were conjured upon its restless surface.

"Can I try something?" Kanitha voiced in the chaos. Everyone watched as she paced past, taking a deep breath, she stepped into the sea.

Immediately, the waves backed off as if being blown back by a cannon. With a glare, the raindrops in the air swirled and twisted around her as the ocean lifted off the sea bed.

"Go!" She yelled. "I can't do this forever!"

As if being pulled out of their trance, the others bolted past her, sprinting across the sea floor for the closest piece of land.

The Dark Island, home to Shelly the Dragon.

Ralph bowed his head to dodge a giant piece of log that bursts out of the wall of water beside him. It crashed into the other side of the sea and disappeared in the hurricane of debris and rocks.

But he could tell that Kanitha's power is growing weak. Glancing around, he sees her jogging up behind the others, the pathway that she's created in the sea is slowly closing into a dome.

A worry flashed through his mind. If she fails to keep up this dome until they reach the Dark Island, they would be immediately buried beneath hundreds of meters of the sea, of which the mere pressure would be able to kill them.

His hand slowly closes around Rain's hilt. A plan that he's not at all sure he could handle forming in his mind.

As they ran further down the slope of the sea bed, the only light illuminating their surroundings was the occasional flash of Eve's screens that whizzed around her, pointing out the way.

After running for who knows how long, something cold swept across Ralph's hair, making him stare.

And if was till then that he realized the dome Kanitha's holding up had decreased by size so much that it is already touching their heads. He narrowed his eyes up at the surrounding ocean but still couldn't catch a single glimpse of light through the sea. They're far from reaching the Dark Island.

Slowing down his pace, he caught up with Kanitha. Her eyelids were already hanging low, her body slumping forward as she pushed herself onwards. At this point, the other also notice the gradually tightening dome. As Eve flinched back from hitting the sea and retreats correspondingly into the center, Ralph scoops Kanitha up to his back. At the same moment their dome completely collapses, and the water from the sea rushed in from all directions, submerging them in a void of darkness.

Blinded by the salty spray, Ralph pulls out his sword, taking a deep breath right before the water washes over his face, he raised the blade high above his head.

*

Above them, deep in the Dark Island, Shelly slowly opens one amber gold eye. Surveying her island, she noticed something that didn't fit quite in.

Two somethings, to be precise.

On one side of her island stood Jerron Wedrag. She had some impressions of him- The last remaining member of the Wedrag family. Oh well, that's what people say. Trying to flutter themselves with titles. The truth is that majority of that family are brain-dead human beings like the rest of the world. Jerron Wedrag's father, Robert Wedrag was what really made them known. Ling wasn't ruled by the Wedrag family since the Great Raid. The truth is, Ling has always been ruled by the Ling family. Ling hasn't always been Ling City. It was called the Dynasty of Ling for five centuries before Robert slayed Emperor Ling years ago. Rumors say that his wife was on the run for some time, then died giving birth to their son. Who, to Shelly, had been a complete nuisance compared to the rest of his family. She is no enemy with the Wedrag family, but she certainly doesn't welcome him just striding into her island like that without bringing her any gold, most importantly.

On the other side, giving her even more headache to look at was Lucy Lasbender. Her first reflection upon seeing her pale face and white-out eyes is that she wanted to blast her out of her island with a well-deserved fire breath. But she must admit that even she is terrified of Lucy to some extent. She had utilized most of her stone, the Stone of Gravity. During the Great Raid, Shelly had seen her sucking out her opponents' blood, squishing them into pulp with a mere flick of her fingers, demolishing strongholds into rubbles in a matter of seconds. Lucy did two things that gave herself a strong impression in Shelly's mind. One, she killed her own brother, Abronze Lasbender in order to preserve her place as the leader of the Scars. Second, she murdered the last owner of the Stone of Tide in order to craft herself into a true immortal. She is a woman that would do anything to get what she wants. So why is she here? It must not be something good.

Suddenly, out of the silence, the sea before her island start to rumble. Jerron and Lucy both turned towards it, just in time to see a giant cut opening across its surface as if being cut open by a large knife.

She watched in disbelief as the ocean bursts open in a ring of white splashes, a small, black figure jumping out of it, landing on her beach wet and worn, panting heavily like a wet cat.

Eve Alameke.

Following her appearance, with a flash of dark purple, Cecilia Queen and Paulie Velinzhag materialize out of the shadow between the rock creaks. Lastly, just before the sea closes back in a furious clash of waves and currents, Ralph Ling stumbled onto her beach with Kanitha Harusin on his back, supporting himself with his sword.

After taking a few breaths, Ralph lets Kanitha down, carefully laying her down beside a large boulder.

His hair ruffling in the hot volcanic wind, he walked in front of the others, facing Jerron and Lucy, he tightens his grip on his sword.

"Ralph Ling, Eve Alameke, Kanitha Harusin and Cecilia Queen of the Five Descendants, and Paulie Velinzhag are officially here to join the War of Dawn." He announced in a quiet but forceful voice that successfully drew a look of despising upon Lucy's face. Shelly opens both of her eyes, rising up from her pool of lava, breathing out a puff of smoke, she tucked in her wings, ready to watch this show that will decide not only her fate; but also the world's.