Tales of Berseria The X: Beyond Calamity

Chapter XXV: Did Someone Order a Secret Fort?

The sea breeze felt heavy on everyone's lungs. Just as the Palamedes, the air was filled with the dark poison of Malevolence. The Island and the giant fort slowly came into view, overshadowed by clusters of dark clouds. To people who had never been to that place, those were the apparent signs of misery and depression; A large fortress with bland architecture. Mere glances sent minor shivers into Laphicet. Eizen scoured the piers for any signs of activity, but it seemed to be all clear.

"All hands, ready to disembark,"

With his approval, Van Eltia moved in. The team landed quickly. The crew began to unload crates and supplies, creating a forward base near the docks. Velvet began to scan the area like a hunter. Laphicet's eyes were fixated on the front door,

"The whole island's a prison... It's like a secret fort or something...." His voice sounded excited and afraid at the same time. Only three people had been to the Island, and all three of them were acting as if they expected something else. Rokurou observed the area and looked a bit surprised, like something was out of the place,

"Quiet and no exorcist or guards in sight...."

Velvet's scoping was over, "Then let's check inside."

In the back, the sorcerer was going through the ancient book. He moved the pages back and forth. Something was amiss.

"Laphicet, did you take some of the pages by any chance?" he asked.

The kid moved his head to the sides. Velvet suddenly looked back at them, eyes scolding.

"Stop messing with the book! We have got a job to do here, and none of it involves reading!"

Avernus sighed and closed it, but he couldn't shut his own thoughts. The missing pages were removed recently, but they had another important mission at hand. He asked,

"Eizen, Laphicet, Eleanor, Magilou, and prince Percival, gather around me... please." Laphicet quickly moved to his side, with Eleanor skeptically followed him. The prince and Eizen uncomfortably stood close. Avernus caught their doubtful expressions, but he proceeded nonetheless.

He gently slammed the end of his staff on the ground—a wave of silver flame formed under them.

Whoosh!

Laphicet and Eizen felt that they refreshed with a tickling sense. At the same time, the humans sensed nothing out of the ordinary.

"For your own safety, I can't risk the malevolence affecting either of you."

Prince Percival smiled serenely nodded. "Much obliged, Shepherd."

Having been called anything but the prince was enough for him. That title had a weight that he still could not carry. He was a rogue and a deserter but no less of a Shepherd. He was choosing to be responsible for them at the moment.

"Is it worse than Palamedes?" Eleanor asked wonderingly.

"Actually, no. The inhabitants of this Island mostly absorb the malevolence. But some traces of it remain." Avernus answered.

Velvet opened the front doors. She felt anxious to go through this once more. Her senses were heightened to maximum levels. The group followed her inside. Weapons and artes at the ready, they encountered no threats inside. Instead, the painful moaning was heard coming from the dark corner of the room.

They saw a heavily wounded exorcist limping towards them. Guts in her hands, it didn't take long for her to drop severely to the ground.

Eleanor rushed to her side to check on her. Something had disembowelled the exorcist's abdomen. The exorcists bitterly muttered something about a 'Headless knight' and 'back' before surrendering to the void. Eleanor was overwhelmed with fear. Dyle and Kurogane arrived with Kamoana tailing behind them.