The Five Kings: First Step

Hopian 22 - The Long Sleeved...

Last chapter, after Karia told Seric the story of the Commander Erucid's fate, they decide to rest for a few days after the intense events that occurred in Magthera. However, just as they thought they were going to get some rest, a giant silver ship approaches them, with their motives unknown.

Seric's P.O.V.

"Wait, are these Hopian Soldiers?!" I ask Karia shakily.

"Nope, even they wouldn't stoop so low to use something like this for a mission." Karia replies calmly.

"Well who are they then?" I ask, Karia's comment barely helping, but she doesn't respond and continues to stand, staring at the ship in anticipation.

"Wait, this is even worse than if they were Hopian Soldiers! At least they would probably arrest us, these guys could be killers!" I think to myself in panic.

"That's right! You're as good as dead!" I hear "My Best Friend" say to me telepathically.

"Wow, thanks for the encouragement!" I reply with no sarcasm whatsoever.

Suddenly, a giant plank made of translucent blue energy stretches high up on the unknown ship.

It looks cool, until it starts to lean, making it start falling off of the metal galleon towards our puny boat.

"ABANDON SHIP ABANDON SHIPPPPP!!" I scream out in panic as without much thought I dive off the side of the boat into the open waters to avoid being crushed.

A second later when I swim back to the surface, I hear a huge splash in the water.

"Wait... But there should have been two splashes..." I think to myself worryingly.

"Kar-"

"After training for so long, you learn to understand when something has the range to hit you or not." Karia interrupts me, as she stands on the boat with soaked clothes.

"Although, I really don't appreciate how close that was, so I think I'll have a little "chat" with whoever did that." She says, draining out her shirt in the process.

I try to climb on the boat, but without a ladder it's not the easiest task.

Karia then walks over and pulls me up with both hands, causing me to flop on to the floor of our now drenched boat.

"You coming?" She asks before I can thank her.

"I think I'll pass, it's not like I have a reason to go with you this time." I say with certainty.

"Ok, but it would be a shame if you got ambushed while I wasn't here, wouldn't it? Oh well, I guess you can handle it." She replies with an amused smirk.

I think about this for a second, and I realize she has a point. "...Fine. But I'm not going in front this time."

She thinks about it for a second and luckily shrugs, starting to walk up the energy plank towards the giant ship.

Trusting Karia's strength, I slowly follow her a few seconds later when she's about halfway up the diagonal path. On another note, learning how these energy barriers and bridges work in the first place is definitely on my to do list, like how can we even walk on this, let alone touch it?

"Should we really be trusting these guys so easily? We're doing exactly what they want us to..." I think nervously to myself.

Karia finally arrives at the top, and the first thing she says is, "Hey, you've got some nerve dropping that damn thing so close to us!"

I stop moving in case someone tries to kill Karia here for her idiotic attitude, but I can't hear or see anything happening so far from where I am behind her.