Andrellia

16. Alaric

Queen Ilara's carriage pulled away from the docks, its majestic form disappearing into the bustling cityscape. With her departure, a heavy silence settled over the Star of Andrellia. Phillip, his spectral form shimmering faintly in the dying light of the day, stood at the ship's railing, gazing out at the churning harbor waters. His brow was furrowed in concentration, a silent testament to the thoughts whirling within him.

Alaric, his movements somewhat stiff from his injuries, limped towards Phillip. He cleared his throat, the sound echoing through the stillness. Phillip turned, his spectral eyes meeting Alaric's gaze.

"Phillip," Alaric began, his voice gruff but laced with a hint of urgency, "this attack... it leaves a foul taste in my mouth. We need some answers, and fast."

Phillip hesitated, a flicker of concern crossing his spectral features. "Captain," he began, his voice a low murmur, "I don't know if it's wise. Given your current state..."

Alaric, ever the soldier, cut him off. "That's an order, Captain Phillip," he growled, a hint of impatience lacing his voice.

Phillip swallowed hard, a resigned sigh escaping his spectral lips. He knew arguing wouldn't change Alaric's mind. With a flourish of his spectral hand, a pulsing purple magic circle flared into existence beneath Alaric's feet. The air crackled with a faint electrical hum that sent shivers down Alaric's spine.

In the space before Phillip, shimmering pixels of pure ethereal light coalesced, solidifying into three holographic command screens. Each screen was a complex web of arcane symbols and swirling data streams, pulsating with an otherworldly glow. The entire display hummed with a low, constant thrum, like a fluorescent light on the verge of flickering out.

Alaric stared at the holographic interface with a mixture of awe and apprehension. He'd seen Phillip use this power before, but it never ceased to amaze him. This spectral computer, fueled by Phillip's celestial essence, allowed him to access and analyze information in ways beyond the realm of mortal understanding.
"This is..." Alaric began, his voice trailing off in search of the right word.

"Energia Interface," Phillip supplied, his voice a mere whisper. "It can delve into the residual energies left behind on the ship, searching for echoes of the attackers or clues about their actions."

Alaric nodded, a determined glint in his eye despite the growing unease in his gut. He knew channeling Phillip's power while he was still recovering could be risky, but the potential reward of uncovering the truth outweighed the risk.

The holographic scene before them crackled with the recreated chaos of the battle. Alaric's keen eyes scanned the figures, their movements a deadly ballet of steel and spells. He observed the pirates' relentless pursuit, their focus zeroing in on specific areas of the ship like ravenous wolves searching for a hidden treasure. Crewmen fell, their holographic faces etched with confusion and terror.

But Alaric's gaze was drawn to a troubling anomaly. The holographic recreation, once vibrant with recreated energy signatures, sputtered and died around the area where young Leon stood defending Guild Master Nikos. Where the other figures glowed with a spectral light, Leon remained a chilling black void. It was as if he hadn't been there at all, a phantom in the midst of the carnage.

A shiver ran down Phillip's spine. This emptiness mirrored a similar experience he'd had the enigmatic woman at the Arcane Artifacts shop. Her aura, too, had been an impenetrable wall, a mystery his senses couldn't unravel.

Alaric turned to Phillip, a furrow creasing his brow. "What is this?" Alaric rasped, his voice laced with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "The others, I can see their actions, their final moments. But the boy... there's nothing. It's like he's a ghost on his own ship."

Phillip, his spectral form shimmering faintly in the ethereal glow, studied the anomaly with a thoughtful expression. "Intriguing isn't it?," he murmured, his voice a mere whisper. "There could be several explanations. Perhaps the area around the boy was subjected to a powerful magical dampening field, one that disrupts the residual energies I'm using to reconstruct the scene."

Alaric grunted, unconvinced. "A dampening field? Why would pirates use such a thing?"

Phillip shrugged, his spectral form flickering slightly. "There are many possibilities, Captain. Perhaps the pirates possessed an artifact that could cloak their presence, or maybe the boy himself..." he trailed off, his voice laced with a hint of uncertainty.

"The boy himself what?" Alaric pressed, a spark of suspicion igniting in his eyes.
Phillip hesitated, his spectral form seeming to dim slightly. "It's just speculation, Captain," he said carefully. "But perhaps the boy has some... inherent ability that disrupts the flow of magic. It's a rare occurrence, but not entirely unheard of."

Alaric considered this, his gaze flickering back to the blank space where Leon stood in the holographic scene. A young cabin boy with an uncanny ability to deflect blows and a presence that defied spectral detection? The more Alaric learned about Leon, the more questions arose. Was he just a talented fighter in the right place at the wrong time, or was there something more to him, something far stranger and potentially more dangerous?