The Journey (Book 2)

Chapter 1: cliff

Rex
I wasn't the least bit surprised when Antoinette suddenly passed out in Ryouta's arms so the latter quickly supported the unconscious girl while I warily watched Leirum, the box in my hand that I fortunately saved at the last minute to save all of us from damnation.

"Leirum?" Muriel asked in a worried tone, her blood shot eyes landing on the first ranker behind her who was now shaking. The fourth ranker turned around, not caring to notice that Leirum's grip unconsciously tightened around her arms as he gritted his teeth in obvious pain.

"I-is it the demon vi-virus?" Muriel asked so softly we barely heard, her voice cracking as she stared at Leirum, dread in her eyes as if expecting for the first ranker to turn like ash just like what happened to those who we're unfortunately hit by demon viruses in the attack.

       I never anticipated that a flock of demons, Class SS ones who could produce those viruses would come after us without warning. I failed to see that possibility and now...

"Demon viruses don't affect me. Do not worry." The first ranker stated ever so calmly, marks appearing on his body, black swirls but his body glowed a black aura as if he purified them away and the marks that appeared vanished as fast as how it appeared. The ominous aura that reeked from him a few seconds ago lingering around and overwhelming us a bit with it's sinister but not surprisingly powerful.

"H-how----- Leirum!"

Mikael and Laxton quickly aided Muriel and swam towards either side of the first ranker who passed out as well just as Antoinette before they grabbed him, Raziel supporting the shaken girl who was on the brink of passing out herself as she stared helplessly at our unconscious leader.

But other than that... I looked down, seeing the ship sinking slowly into the darkness below. A haunting image in my mind that made me feel cold and helpless.

I clenched my eyes shut, my whole body feeling cold as I heard the silent sobs coming from Muriel and Violet... Saviours? Hell... We couldn't even save the lives of the Captain and his crew....
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Mikael

"Please pardon my comrades for now." Ryouta stated with a somber tone and Laxton could only nod his head in the dim light while the other rankers were escorted to their rooms here in the depths of the sea, miles below the surface.

Laxton, a merman with a magnificent deep blue tail, his upper body akin to us mortals but his skin like every merman and every mermaid had a beautiful white glow very much like a pearl's.

There were unique marks that encircled his upper arms, to his chest. According to a book I've read about them, it's a symbolization of what he was destined to be and it was a mark of being a soldier of the queen.

His eyes matched the color of his tail and the tip of his ears we're pointed, akin to an elf's. A spear with a deadly tip was handled in one of his hands and a necklace with a blue Pearl as it's pendant hung around his neck.

His golden brown hair which was quite long was spread about him and we watched as he held out a small bag, tied with a string that Ryouta curiously took.

We both peered into what was in it after Ryouta had untied the small string binding it and we saw harpzades inside the small bag that was the size of my closed fist.

"You will have to take one every now and then or you will drown. The queen understands what you're in. We will see to it that you are well attended so you can call any of us whenever you need our service. The queen wishes you to rest as of now and she will meet you tonight." He informed without a pause and we nodded our heads curtly, feeling thankful.