“We’ve lost three ordinary sailors, one of our cadet officers, and of course, our bounty,” Lauretta felt bile rising up her throat. “Chief Runeer Davar claims that the bounty is still alive, through resonance techniques, but we’re in a deep layer of the Chaos Sea. It’s not the Abyss, not yet, but I don’t see how anyone could survive in these circumstances…”

Captain Lauretta Mitchell sighed and removed her Animus imprint from the captain’s log, a crystalline cylinder that was six inches long and a couple wide. The chance of that being the only record that would survive the Ebon Horizon were high, simply because at the time of destruction, the log would release an information wave locked within tiny Chaos particles. It may take years, decades even, before those particles reach the Empire, or it may take seconds for the Fateweaver Loom to pick up on it. The fact that the bounty was of the Mishala blood may mean that the Loom is tuned for news of her. Perhaps they were already on their way here, too.

Everything had gone wrong ever since she picked up Yuriko Mishala. First, the privateers from the Xylarchy, then the Chaos funnel that dropped her ship in the depths. The pressure and the violence of the funnel broke several key systems and it was nearly impossible to repair the Chaos ship as it was.

Determining where they were was actually far more important, and determining which layer of the depths even more so. There were Imperial Outposts even here, guarding against a hidden threat. Perhaps if they made contact they could be saved. As for Yuriko, well, Lauretta had bigger problems right now.

She shrugged into her coat and left her quarters. Fragments of Venere wood still littered the corridors, but only a small fraction of the stuff had been reabsorbed. There were more missing pieces of the hull than the ship could easily reincorporate but growing new planks would take far too long. They also didn’t have the supplies to last more than a few weeks here.

She glanced out of the hole on the ship’s side. The very same hole that wrested Yuriko Mishala, and probably a couple of sailors, out of the ship’s safety. The edges had already started to blunt, as resin seeped out of the broken wood. Runescript lines glowed with Animus and converted ambient Chaos.

She could feel the Chaos pressure from outside, nearly five times more than normal. Anyone under the Journeyman rank would be crushed without protection. Chaos would seep inside the body and Anima, leading to poisoning, and their either death or calamitous change. She released her Protective Field, and the pressure around her normalised.

Wherever they were, it was not a Waypoint. Nor was it a Tidelands, or normal Chaos Sea, if such could even be termed normal. Well, Lauretta knew the basic rules of the Chaos, and none of them applied here.

She wasn’t a Knight but rather, a third order Journeyman. Varied tools and licenses allowed her the basic strength of a Knight, though. Her captain’s badge gave her control of the Ebon Horizon, with the animating spirit bound to her. As long as she remained in the Horizon, she was more powerful. But that was nothing compared to a true Knight.

The engine room was Chaos incarnate. The blocky core was filled with cracks and jets of orange steam shot out every now and them. Either Chief Runeer Davar or Second Runeer Sandmeier rushed towards the crack and plastered it over with Animus, while the other slathered regenerative ointment on the surface.

They barely managed to patch one up before another fountain of steam appeared. Both of them had dark bags under their eyes, and Layla glared at her when she entered.

“This is your fault, you know,” she hissed. “You drove us straight into the Dusk Zone. I can barely make this regrow, and even then, the layers are too thin to stand up to the pressure!”

“How long before the Horizon can get back in the air?” Lauretta ignored the accusation.

Layla Davar took a deep breath and sighed, “Never, the way things are going.”

“We’re marooned here?”

“Yes, unless you get me several Chaos shards, some Scaledust, and Nyctferrum.”

“Where am I going to get that?” Lauretta asked in a scandalised tone.

“I don’t know. Or we could cut parts of the Horizon off and limp back home. I could also stop the engines completely and try to repair it that way.”

“But the Furnace…”

“Yes, it takes more than my level of skill to get something like that started. If we shut things off we can slowly regrow everything, but there’s more than an even chance that the Furnace won’t burn and we won’t have power of any sort.”

“As opposed to trying to patch things up now?”

“Zero chance.”

“Are you certain?”

“You’re welcome to take over here,” Layla snarled.

“Alright!” Lauretta held out her palms. “Do what you have to. Worst case, we’ll try to make it out of here on foot.”

“We’d have a better chance trying to restart the Furnace than trying to walk,” the Runeer scoffed.

“You and your nephews have a better chance than the rest of us.”

“Not my fault you haven’t advanced!”

“Chief!” Cristoph Sandmeier yelped.

Layla reddened and looked down, “I apologize. That was uncalled for.”

“No matter.” Lauretta said stiffly, “Please power down the engine and shut off the Furnace.”

“Aye.”

She left the Runeers to their complex task and headed for the deck. What’s left of it anyway. She could only hope those privateers suffered as much damage as the Horizon did, otherwise they were dead if they got caught.

The Horizon lay on a plateau, maybe two to three hundred paces above the grey stone plane. She didn’t know where they were, though two of the marines, Jonir and Zoey who came from the Coalition of Independent Planes, said that the place looked familiar.

“We’ve been here for hours.” She heard young Riley Davar’s voice muttering from the rails. “How long are we going to wait? Yuriko is in danger.”

She could see his white knuckled grip on the railing.

“Patience,” Aidan Davar replied. “We’ll leave as soon as the ship is secure.”

“Chaos burn the ship!” Riley snarled. “If only I didn’t force her to go belowdecks then!”

“You couldn’t have known.” Aidan said, “No use crying over the past. You can’t change it.”

“Well said, Knight Davar.” Lauretta said as she walked up behind them. “Go. Look for your cousin. The Horizon won’t be going anywhere, and losing her would mean everything we’ve done is futile.”

Aidan and Riley turned to look at her. Their faces were expressionless and their eyes flat.

Lauretta sighed. Knights.

“Do we have your permission, captain?” Riley asked.

“Yes. Look for her and bring her back here.”

Both of the brothers smacked fists on their chest.

“Come, brother,” Aidan said. “Let’s gather supplies.”

“Think Aunt Layla will come with us?”

“If she hears you call her aunt, she’d knock you out and leave you here.” Aidan laughed.

Lauretta watched the two marines enter the lower deck. The sailors on deck looked at her with worry. They had supplies for only a few weeks, food. But hardly any water. Ale by the barrel, and a few casks of wine. Hardly enough to survive.

The air was too dry and the condenser canteens barely filled a notch every hour.

“Captain,” Her First Mate, Marcus Sommel called out to her. The stocky officer climbed up on deck from the side. “There’s a settlement just below the slope.”

“Where?” Lauretta gasped. She rushed over to the rails and looked to where he pointed at. But she couldn’t see anything but grey stone and rock. Nothing.

“It’s right there. Near the foot of the mountain.” Marcus said. He turned to look and gasped, “Huh?”

“What?”

“I could swear it was there.” He muttered as he scrubbed his eyes. “It was there! I’m sure of it!”

“Maybe you only saw what you wanted to see.” Lauretta said slowly.

Marcus slowly shook his head. “Perhaps. The Chaos…”

“...Leads us to where we need to be.” Lauretta finished. “Go and look, perhaps that settlement is there. The Ancestors know we need water.”

“Aye, captain. I’ll bring a few men. And Svitlanna.”

Lauretta nodded. “Go quickly.”

______

“Captain Esha Tavalik,

I hope this letter finds you well. I sensed your return to the Pure Lands and I seek your aid in accomplishing a task. We will split the rewards, of course, sixty-forty if you manage to find the bounty. Send me a reply as soon as you can, otherwise I will seek aid elsewhere.

Captain Gallus Messor

The Arbella.”

“Captain Gallus Messor,

I’ve my own quarry in the Pure Lands, I’ve no time to chase after yours.

Captain Esha Tavalik

The Storm’s Deceit.”

“Captain Esha Tavalik,

Two hundred bars of Blythe’s Silver.

Captain Gallus Messor

The Arbella.”

“Captain Gallus Messor,

Is that the full reward or the forty percent? Either way, my quarry gives greater reward. Asked for by the Holy Yabranth.

Captain Esha Tavalik

The Storm’s Deceit.”

“Captain Esha Tavalik,

All bounties are sanctioned by the Holy Yabranth. I don’t know the rewards of yours but ours is quite urgent. I will have my fleet aid you but I need all capable hands searching for the forsaken prince.”

Captain Gallus Messor

The Arbella.”

“Captain Gallus Messor,

Very well, I concur. My bounty is an artefact bearer. Beware. The child who holds it is quite potent. Find attached sketches and estimates. Send the same.

Captain Esha Tavalik

The Storm’s Deceit”

“Captain Esha Tavalik,

Be wary of the Inverse Moon. It is almost time. Find attached sketches and descriptions. May Holy Yabranth guide us to victory.

Captain Gallus Messor

The Arbella.”

_______

Beneath Yuriko’s fist, the stone creature crumbled to dust. Around her, Reinhardt’s bodyguards fought and shattered the monsters while the prince and his attendant, Shara, hung back. Well, Tiernan was beside them, too. All three of them just didn’t have the right tools to fight properly.

Blades couldn’t cut through rock, not with an enormous investment of Animus. Even then, the stone monsters didn’t have any internal organs to destroy, nor did they have any kind of blood to spill. For that reason, Devion fought while holding his weapon by the blade and used the pommel and cross guard to smack the critters.

Kallas did the same, though he only used one weapon instead of two. The blows from the hilt cracked the stone creatures’ hide, and was a far more effective technique than trying to force a cut that would easily stick together and heal.

This was actually the first time she’d seen the use of half-swording. Nobody in Rumiga wore metal armour so there was no need. Even though the barbarians’ skin was nearly as tough as iron, underneath it was still flesh and blood.

Michi, on the other hand, didn’t reverse her weapon. Or rather, she struck with the metal haft just below the blade and used it as a lever to pin the enemy, then let either of the men pummel it to destruction.

The battle was quite relaxed, considering that there were only three of the creatures. Even if there were few, they still turned to puddles once shattered, then reformed into their old bodies in less than a minute.

As for her, she’d been punching her monster for five minutes now. It wasn’t fast enough to hit her, not when she wasn’t distracted by anything else. And it was laughably easy to deflect and parry its attacks. This particular monster was shaped like a wolf, though one that wasn’t so large. It was waist high to her at the shoulders, though the head was bigger, and sported more teeth, than a mundane wolf. It somewhat reminded her of Bella plane’s snake wolves, except the jaw didn’t unhinge.

It was only in the last minute that she managed to shape her Anima properly such that instead of absorbing the blow, it transmitted it instead. The natural properties of her Anima were protective in nature and when she struck with her limbs, it also softened her blows. The trick was to change and condense her Anima at the impact point, her knuckles, while keeping the rest of it for defence.

Blam!

The satisfying smack of her Anima coated fist against the creature’s stone hide, and the subsequent shattering sound, was deeply satisfying, and she had completely vented her annoyance and anger.

“Are you satisfied now, Miss Davar?” Reinhardt asked with a smile. His face was a little pale, quite obvious since he had a bronzed complexion, much like Heron, now that she thought about it.

“Yes, I’m fine now.” Yuriko sighed. “Let’s go before they reincorporate.”

The shattered remnants of the creatures were already turning to puddles. They sunk into the ground while ripples formed. One was already emerging from the ground. She kicked it in the face and crushed it to bits.

“Ahaha.” Reinhardt chuckled.

“You can call me Yuriko,” she added offhandedly.

“Of course. Please do not refer to me by my title. Friends call me Rein.” He smiled as they walked away from the ripple fields.

Yuriko shuddered as she remembered the Sorcerer’s name. “I’ll call you Reinhardt instead.”

“Come now, no need to be so cold.”

“Nothing to do with that.” Yuriko waved him off. “Huh?”

The grey stone suddenly took on a distinctively reddish hue. She looked around, then up at the sky. “Is that the Luminous Moon?”

Everyone looked up but frowned just like she did. The light of the Luminous Moon was silvery. When it went dark, it was a black blob in the sky, but it had never taken on a different hue. So why was it red in the sky now?

A chill ran up Yuriko’s spine. What now?