CHAPTER 51: ECHOES AND FROM WITHIN THE SHADOWS
Half an hour had passed since the battle between Morde and Po. The battlefield before Urug now resembled a hellscape steeped in the smell of gloom and iron. Screams, clashing swords, the crackling of ice magic... But something was missing.
The sound of those massive energy explosions from afar had ceased.
A Nexan soldier muttered in astonishment from behind his shield: "Hey... did you notice? The sounds from over there... stopped."
The soldier next to him, clutching his wound, looked. "D-does that mean... the battle between them is over?"
"And who won?" added a third, a tremor of hope in his voice. "Nothing has come from there for at least half an hour. Did they... both die?"
The question hung frozen in the air.
KAI – A MIND FILLED WITH QUESTIONS
Kai, while repelling a group of Ice warriors, was mentally kilometers away. His muscles burned, his breath steamed, but his focus was scattered.
The sounds stopped. The energy waves ceased. But no one returned.
He shattered an Ice spear with his hand and sent its owner to the ground. The thoughts racing through his mind sped up:
Po is extremely powerful. I fought him myself. If he wanted, he could have continued that fight and killed me. On the other hand, Morde... he defeated Vlad, countless others. He's undoubtedly grown a lot. Even as a rookie corsair, he never lost. All he wanted was to join Captain Rocks' crew.
He gritted his teeth as he parried a blow.
Thinking like that, it's hard to believe Morde lost. But then what happened?
TEREX – FAITH IN A FRIEND
Captain Terex, amidst his crew, was advancing with sailor war cries. His axe shattered an Ice shield and felled the soldier behind it. But his eyes occasionally strayed into the distance, to where the energies had last flickered.
Po... Did he win? Or did he...?
There was an ache inside him, but he didn't show it on his face. He had to set an example for his crew.
No. Thinking is pointless. My priority is here. And Po... even if he lost, he must have taken something from Morde. He was that kind of man. I shouldn't worry.
"BROTHERS, HOLD THE LINE!" he roared, his voice cutting through the battle noise. "WE WILL NOT TAKE ANOTHER STEP BACK!"
KING TASK – THE FINAL MOVES
On the high ridge opposite the walls, King Task watched events unfold with icy calm. The end of Po and Morde's duel had not created a gap in his plan. On the contrary, it had created an opportunity.
"Flower," he said, his voice flat and commanding. "Proceed to the next phase. There's no need to prolong this war any further."
Flower, unable to hide the battle excitement on her face, bowed her head. "As you command, My King."
Task turned his eyes to the other commander beside him. "Flem. You go to the area where Morde fought immediately. See what the situation is. And do what needs to be done."
Flem, without hesitation, said, "As you command," and vanished like a shadow.
URUG WALLS – SWAIN'S SECRET
King Swain, from the highest tower of the castle, watched all this chaos with Amper. His face bore a calm so deep it could drive Amper mad. It was as if he had foreseen his opponent's move on a chessboard long ago and had already prepared his counter.
"Amper," he asked thoughtfully, "what do you think of Po's situation? There's been no sound from that direction for at least half an hour."
Amper swallowed. Swain's calmness strained him more than ever. "My King, Po is strong. I don't think he can be defeated. Put your mind at ease."
"The strong die too, Amper," Swain replied without taking his eyes off the plain. "This is a war. And in war, anything can happen. That's why, be prepared for the end."
Amper's eyes widened. "The end, My King?"
Swain finally turned his head to look at Amper. A dangerous determination glittered in his eyes. "If it looks like we're about to lose... I will unleash that power. And if that happens, immediately retreat with the entire army. Understood?"
Amper's face turned deathly pale. His voice trembled as he asked: "Unleash that power... You mean... are you talking about Him?"
Swain did not answer. Only a thin, calculating smile appeared on his lips. It was a confirmation worse than an answer.
THE ICE MAGES – THE SOUND OF APOCALYPSE
Just then, the sound of the battle changed. From behind the Ice Kingdom lines, dozens of Ice Mages in blue robes took the stage. They raised their hands to the sky, drawing, condensing, and shaping the moisture in the frozen air.
The ground trembled. From the earth, massive blocks of ice rose and morphed with incredible speed. Within seconds, giant ballistas made of ice and ice mortar cannons had formed.
"FIRE!" Flower's voice shouted.
The sky filled with whispers of death. Ice arrows the size of a man, fired from the ballistas, plunged into walls, trenches, crowds of people, and shattered. The mortar shells rained death from the sky, burying dozens of Nexan soldiers in ice with each explosion, also shattering nearby Ice soldiers.
It was a ruthless tactic. A war of attrition that sacrificed its own soldiers. But for Task, the only thing that mattered was victory itself, not its cost.
Amper, next to Swain, shouted in horror: "MY KING! WHAT DO WE DO? OUR ARMY IS DWINDLING! EVEN THOUGH WE'VE FALLEN BACK TO THE REAR LINES, WE'RE LOSING THE BATTLE! WE CAN'T EVEN DEFEND!"
The calm on Swain's face remained unbroken. As if all this destruction was a sign of something he had been waiting for. Seeing the King like this, Amper's inner worry turned to panic. Could it be... even King Swain doesn't know what to do? Are we going to lose this war?
"Amper," Swain called out, his voice so calm it froze Amper. "Don't worry. Everything is going exactly as I want. Let them think they're winning."
Swain slowly turned his head to Amper. The expression in his eyes was no longer calm, but shining with a sharp and savage intelligence.
"This war," he emphasized, each word heavy as a hammer blow, "is not over yet."
FLEM'S DISCOVERY – LIFE IN THE MIDST OF DEATH
Flem, with his extraordinary speed, arrived at the desolate plain where the duel had taken place. The sight stunned even him.
The terrain was unrecognizable. A mountain range had been flattened, the earth looked as if it had melted and refrozen into a wavy state, giant pits and craters covered everywhere. This place bore the marks not of a natural event, but of the clash of two divine powers.
And right in the middle, ten meters apart, two figures lay.
Flem first approached Po. The legendary sailor lay on his back, eyes open, staring at the sky. Flem brought his hand to his neck. No pulse. He waved his hand in front of his eyes. No reaction. The pupils were dull.
Po was dead.
Flem, without grimacing, turned to Morde. He knelt beside him. Morde's eyes were closed. Flem placed his hand on his chest. A weak, but steady heartbeat... Then he held his hand in front of his nose. Warm, shallow breaths.
He's alive.
"Hey, countryman," he whispered, shaking Morde slightly. "Wake up. Your job isn't done."
Morde didn't react. He was in a deep, coma-like sleep.
Flem thought for a moment. Then, he drew the dagger from his belt. The cold steel of the blade glinted faintly in the twilight. Without hesitation, he brought the dagger down swiftly, right above Morde's forehead!
The blade stopped just before making contact.
Morde's hand had gripped Flem's wrist like an iron shackle. His eyes opened slowly. The red glow in them was pale but still dangerous. He took a deep, raspy breath.
"S... You," he snarled, his voice cracked like parched earth, "what do you think you're doing, Flem?"
Flem, without moving, answered with a calm expression: "Calm down, Morde. Nothing I did could wake you. So I thought, if I made a lethal attack against you... your instinct, the power inside you would wake you."
A moment of silence passed. Then, a weak, choked laugh rose from Morde's chest. "Hah... hahahah... That's logical, Flem. If you hadn't done that, I might have slept until the war was over."
He struggled to sit up, his bones creaking. Then, he turned to look at Po's lifeless body. In his gaze was something unusual: Respect.
"Po," he murmured, his voice almost inaudibly low. "You were the one who brought me closest to death... and pushed me the hardest. That's why... you deserve respect."
He bent down, closed Po's open eyes with a trembling hand. Then, leaning on Flem's shoulder, he staggered to his feet. "Let's return to the battlefield."
"Hey, Morde," Flem asked, seeing his exhausted state. "You're very tired. Will you be able to fight?"
"Don't worry about me," Morde grumbled, trying to take a step. "I've had enough... 'rest'. Huh?" He perked up at the new sounds reaching his ears. Explosions, screams from afar... but in a different tone. "What are these sounds?"
Flem listened. "Don't worry. These sounds are a 'good' sign. King Task mobilized the Ice Mages. What you're hearing now are those ballistas and ice shells."
Morde's brow furrowed. His still-blurry mind had caught a detail. "Good... but as far as I know, Ice Mages don't use black dark energy."
Flem didn't understand. "What?"
Morde pointed in the general direction of Urug with his hand. "Look over there."
Flem turned his head. And froze.
In the distance, the Urug capital and the area before its walls... were enveloped in a thick, undulating, light-devouring black energy. A massive, shapeless mass of darkness rising to the sky.
"What the hell is that?!" Flem exclaimed.
Both of them instantly understood everything. Swain had made his move.
"Use your speed, Flem!" Morde ordered, pushing aside his fatigue. "Get us there now!"
URUG – A KING AMIDST DARKNESS
The appearance of the battlefield had changed. The bombardment from the Ice Mages had suddenly ceased. Because the target was no longer visible.
A massive, living dark shroud had covered the Nexan army and the walls. The dark energy was swallowing, absorbing, neutralizing the ice arrows and shells. Only one thing could rise from within this darkness: The cawing of crows.
At the very center of the darkness, a single point was illuminated. King Swain stood tall. Around him, countless crows swirled, seeming like part of the dark energy he radiated. His eyes shone pure white, like electricity.
And beside him, three other figures stood: To his left, fists clenched, his eyes fixed not on the power Swain had created, but on the approaching threat – Kai. To his right, his axe still bloody, panting but standing firm – Captain Terex. Right behind him, sword drawn, standing in a protective stance over Swain – Commander Amper.
The darkness parted slightly. From within, Morde appeared, staggering with Flem's support.
A cruel and satisfied smile appeared on Swain's lips. He raised his voice, powerful enough to be heard across the entire battlefield, yet personal enough to address only Morde:
"Morde... I was waiting for you too."
He paused for a moment, breaking the silence adorned with the flapping of crow wings, and added his final words:
"Welcome... to your doom."
FORT LEVIATHAN – MAIN NAVAL BASE – DISASTER NEWS
In the main command room, the air was filled with the usual smell of discipline and tobacco. Admiral Terizla, Admiral Şim, and Admiral Ferex were leaning over maps on the table, arguing. In the large chair at the head of the room, Fleet Admiral Kaizen sat reviewing reports.
The door, without any breach of protocol, suddenly burst open violently. A young sailor, face deathly pale, breathless, rushed in.
Kaizen looked up angrily. "WHAT IS THIS IMPUDENCE? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ENTERING LIKE THIS?!"
The sailor looked like he was about to collapse. "S-Sir! News! Very big! And terribly big at that!"
Kaizen's anger gave way to a sudden foreboding. "Speak."
"T-The Ice Kingdom... has attacked Nexan! They've engaged in a huge battle! The entire northern front is in flames!"
"WHAT?!" Kaizen jumped up, his chair falling backwards. "WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN? HOW COULD THE ICE KINGDOM DO SUCH A THING?"
The other three admirals were also frozen. Terizla added, her voice trembling: "This... this is a declaration of war. Not just against Nexan... but against all balances."
Kaizen, pushing back the hair stuck to his forehead, slammed his fist on the table. "This is bad. Very bad. The World Government will intervene personally in this situation. I'm sure of it."
"Kaizen," asked Şim, his face grim, "what happens now?"
Kaizen fixed his eyes out the window, onto the endless ocean. He was filled with dread. His next sentence froze the air in the room:
"I know one thing for sure. They will definitely... release it."
The three admirals' breaths caught simultaneously. Their eyes widened like saucers. Release it?
The curious sailor stammered: "It? Who is it, sir?"
Kaizen turned to him, his gaze gaining lethal sharpness. "What the hell are you still doing here? GET OUT! OUTSIDE!"
The sailor staggered back and closed the door.
The moment the door closed, Admiral Ferex spoke in a hoarse voice: "Kaizen... Seriously? Will they release it?"
Kaizen just nodded without a word. The expression on his face said it all: Absolutely.
HORTEX – HOLY LANDS – RIYO – BEFORE THE FIVE ELDERS
At the same time, in the Holy Lands, considered the heart of the world, in the most secure, most forbidden room of Riyo city, five figures had gathered. This was the brain of the World Government.
The door knocked. From inside, an old but powerful voice granted permission: "Enter."
Argus ran inside, drenched in sweat and breathless. Before him sat the Five Elders, who governed the fate of the world.
Mars: Long white beard, white hair. Held an ancient staff, wore a flawless black suit. His gaze was a mixture of millennial wisdom and ruthless authority.
Jupiter: Stood out with his three-meter colossal height. Had yellow hair and beard, appeared relatively younger. Dressed in a luxurious white suit, sitting like a mountain in his chair.
Saturn: Bald head, thick-framed glasses. Held a simple but deadly-looking sword resting against his desk. Wore white, mystic medieval garments.
Uranus: Noticeable with his huge, white handlebar mustache and the deep scar marks on his forehead. Sat with the air of a wealthy war lord in an embroidered gold luxurious suit.
Neptune: The only one standing, at two meters seventy-eight centimeters tall. Had a white, inverted 'V' shaped beard and a calm, thoughtful appearance. His black suit made him look like a shadow.
Mars was the one who spoke. The power in his voice echoed to every corner of the room. "You'd do well to speak immediately, Argus."
Argus seemed as if he were about to fall to his knees. "Y-Your Excellency! It's... The Ice Kingdom... has attacked Nexan! They've entered a great battle, Your Excellency!"
The news had an effect like an electric shock in the room. The facial expressions of the Five Elders did not suddenly change. They didn't need to. The decision had already been made.
A light flashed. A communication device in the center of the room activated. Mars lightly tapped his staff on the floor.
"Convey our orders to Gunn Lee," he began, each word as if carved on a stone tablet.
Jupiter continued, his voice booming and resonant: "Release the Forbidden One... the Demon..."
Saturn, touching the hilt of his sword, added, his voice metallic and sharp: "And have him come here immediately."
Uranus, straightening his mustache, put the final point, his voice holding a ruthless pleasure: "What power is... what the World Government is... the Ice Kingdom will see very soon."
Neptune silently nodded his head. The approval was given not with words, but with his presence.
The decision was made. The players were changing. And now, a new and terrifying pawn called the Forbidden One, nicknamed the Demon, was being placed on the board.
The war was no longer just between Nexan and the Ice Kingdom. The entire world had come to the brink of catastrophe.