The Five Kings: First Step

Hopian 21 - Monsters and Soldiers?

Last chapter, Seric and Karia managed to escape Magthera whole being chased by the Hopian Army. However, when they went to return to their boat it turns out that it could not handle the heat of the water, and so Seric was forced to summon the pure white ship he used in the trail. Now, Seric and Karia sail out with their new boat on the open Hopian Waters.

Seric's P.O.V.

"Ahhhh. Let's chill out for a while. After that we both need it." Karia says with a sigh as she lays on the floor of the boat.

"Hey, pal! Sorry but, it looks like I got laid before you! Hahahahahahahahaha!" My Best Friend says to me telepathically.

"Laying down and getting laid are two different things! Now be quiet will you, I would rather not look insane again." I respond back to him.

"Yeah, no kidding. You especially need it." I say honestly.

"I wonder what's been going on lately." Karia says as she lazily picks up the electronic tablet map, holding it over her face as she lies down.

"Hm? Isn't that just a map?" I ask confused.

"Not even close, it can do anything from searching the internet to playing games." She replies.

"Huh?! Cool! So, what are you doing now?" I say as I walk over to her, the boat now floating on it's own.

"So they still haven't found out what that thing was..." Karia says as she sadly looks at what seems to be a news article.

"Hm? Found out about what?" I ask.

"Oh right, you wouldn't know. Well, there used to be an island called Aprase. The island was a nice place, and was liked by a lot of people because of how little technology there was. I even snuck off some of my shifts to go there, heh." She says.

"Why am I not surprised... And anyways, what happened to it?" I ask.

"Just a few weeks ago, a Commander who has the same rank as the girl you saw at Vegahold, was visiting the island. His name... was Erucid. Just like the island, his kindness and ways to cheer people up was loved by almost everyone in Hopian, even me. But... On the same day he was there, something appeared on the island, something unnatural. A monster appeared, and it instantly started to kill everything in sight, so of course Erucid tried to stop it..." Karia stops for a moment, and she doesn't have to finish for me to understand.

"And he lost... right?" I say carefully as this seems like a serious topic for Karia.

"A few hours later, when the Hopian Army was finally notified and came to the island... Everyone who was there, had been slaughtered. Each one having limbs torn off, and a look of fear on their faces even though they were already dead. Erucid, even being one of the strongest people in Hopian, suffered the same fate. It wasn't for nothing though, because the monster never left the island of Aprase, and so it was able to be captured." She says sadly.

"That's a true way to die. He lived his life helping people, and he died doing the same." I reply honestly to cheer Karia up.

"You're right, if more Hopian Soldiers were like him this territory would be a better place. Now most of them are just as shitty as the Hopian Continent itself." She says with a laugh.

"And from what I'm guessing you said before, they never found out what the monster really was right?" I ask.

"Yeah... Well, that's what the news says at least, since there were no witness's other than the soldiers who came after the fight. Anyways, I'm gonna go for a swim." Karia says as she puts the tablet down and stands up, stretching out her arms.