Realm Wars

The morning was harsher in the sea, with nothing to shade the boat from the heat. But Ferris slept like a log. She deduced that her mortal body wouldn't last till the four moons if this keeps up.

Knock!

Knock!

Ferris grumbled. If it was Ryu again asking for her to explore the ship, she'd slap him left and right.

Opening the door, it was not Ryu who was on the other side, and Ferris's complaint lodged in her throat at the beautiful face of Rosa Ruk.

Rosa didn't smile nor greet and just barged inside and sat on the chair. She folded her legs and arms and said, "Shut the door."

All sleepiness disappeared from Ferris's system as she closed the door. She had a hunched what this sudden visit was all about.

Rosa leaned forward, eyes on Ferris. "Who are you?"

".. ." Ferris's heart thudded hard against her chest. In her head, she was calculating her next move. Did Rosa knew who she was?

If so. .. Her demon was about to burst forward when Rosa chuckled.

"Let me clarify that since you look like you are about to murder someone." Rosa exchanged one leg over the other. "That monster you faced in Corpse Mountain. I have a glimpse of it from Murok's last memories. Lucian said that you're the only survivor in that fight. I find it hard to believe."

Ferris didn't know if she should breathe easy because it was just the monster in Corpse Mountain. "And you're implying that?"

"No mercenaries under Rank-A could have defeated it. And yet. .. without Murok and Cecily, I wonder how did that monster lose its life."

Ferris's eyes dilated. At least, someone in their group uses their head. 

"It's the combined effort of all the soldiers and mercenaries," Ferris said like what she said to Lucian when he found her at Corpse Mountain. "And I'm a half-demon. Immortal, remember?"

Rosa puffed a laugh, and she stood to her feet. "Since no one bothered to bring the corpses of the soldiers and mercenaries, we don't have any proof of what happened that day."

Right. There was still that skill that lets the casters extract the last memories of the dead. It was similar to Ferris's skill of drinking blood to search for her victim's memories. However, the execution might be different. 

Ferris reminded herself to be more extra careful in the future. She didn't know if Rosa could also perform that spell for extracting memories, but she knew as hell that Marga Ruk could do it.

Ferris raised a brow. "So you're implying that I alone defeated it?"

Rosa didn't say anything. She took her time before she went beside the door. "I'm not implying. I know. I just don't have proof."

Rosa cast a spell like the one with Murok [Healing Wind] and a healing water spell [Purify]. But Ferris's appearance remained the same. Her burns and scars were never disappearing.

"Hm. .. How. .. peculiar." Rosa's eyes twinkle darkly.

Smile stretching in a grin, Rosa said, "I have my eyes on you halfbreed. Don't mistake me like the ignorant Cecily and the naïve Lucian. My upbringing. .. is much harsher than you think."

Rosa then left with a warning. "If I find anything suspicious. .. anything at all. .. I won't hesitate to disintegrate you."

The door closed, and silence descended in the room. 

Ferris sighed, and her dilated eyes didn't go back to normal.

'That girl has guts.'

Ferris forced a breath that ruffled her non-existent fringe. She scratched the itch from her flakey head and groaned. "Thanks to you being careless, I have to face the consequences."

'No worries. You won't be long in this world anyway.'

"And you think that would help in your current predicament, how exactly?"

'I'd be free once you're out of the way.'

Ferris smirked and laughed. "Like you will be."

----

On the deck, Ryu was enjoying the view as the ship sailed the seas. The waves it created hypnotized his eyes, and the dark bottomless ocean felt like it was calling him.

"I won't lean too close if I were you."

Ryu looked at the man beside him. He was slumped on the floor like he was dead. His face was pale, and he seemed like he was wasting away.

Kai managed a smile despite the lack of sleep and dehydration. "The name's Kai, by the way. And if you don't want those nasty sea creatures jumped and eat you alive, don't lean in too––Orgp!"

Ryu jumped away when Kai threw up in the water again. Too weak to wipe the vomit from his lips, Kai sagged on the floor.

"Kill me. .. just kill me now. . ."

Ryu didn't know what to do. Should he just leave and find another spot? Maybe he should. 

Ryu was about to leave when he noticed Fifi appeared out of nowhere and poked Kai on the cheek.

"Are you alive?" she asked with a cutesy voice. Fifi then looked at Ryu and said, "He needs water."

What that man needs is to get out from the boat. Ryu thought, but he did fetch some water as Fifi asked.

"Thanks, man. .. and woman. .. ," Kai rasped and savored the first drop of water that quenched his parch throat.

"Are you going to be okay?" Fifi asked as she hovered above Kai.

Kai swallowed the acid back to his stomach when he was about to hurl once more. He laughed a little. Cold sweat covered his face. "I might die if this keeps up."

Fifi and Ryu looked at each other.

"What are you doing in the boat if you can't ride one?" Ryu asked.

"The scavenger hunt man. The scavenger hunt. I need those gold, or I'll die of poorness. Though I might die nevertheless at this point," Kai murmured the last sentence at the side.

Fifi zoomed over at Kai's face. "Is this your first time riding a ship?"

Kai looked to the other side. "Y-yeah. I never thought that it would be much harder than fighting beasts on lands."

Ryu tilted his head. Kai was odd for a human. His voice didn't hold the usual contempt most humans have towards them. He was conversing with them like they knew each other before.