The three of them made their way down the rocky mountainside trail and began walking toward the docks. This time, they chose to use the road instead of sneaking through bushes and hiding behind trees.
None of them spoke much, except for Renzo, who occasionally asked a few questions about aura out of lingering curiosity. Zay answered him patiently.
The two brothers glanced over at Lily, who had been unusually quiet during the past four-hour walk.
"Are you okay?" Zay asked, his tone curious but gentle.
Lily took a moment before replying. "Are we going past Ovaris by any chance? On the way to wherever it is we're going?"
Zay didn't respond with words—he simply nodded, glancing back at her.
"Can you drop me off at Ovaris? I want to check on our parents... since Kazren mentioned in the note that a few families had left, I just want to make sure everything's okay."
Zay looked up at the sky and exhaled slowly.
"We can do that, definitely. We'll wait for you at the docks once you're done," he replied as they continued walking.
Renzo crossed his arms and let out a yawn. "Damn, I'm getting tired."
Zay looked back at him, noticing the fatigue on his face, his eyes nearly closed. He sighed and said, "Should we just use aura and run the rest of the way? It'll probably only take about an hour now that we've done most of the walking."
No one answered—but red and light blue aura flared around Renzo and Lily as they suddenly took off running down the road. Zay sighed again.
"People really need to learn patience… I swear," he muttered, shaking his head with a small smile. Violet aura surged around his legs as he began running behind them.
After about an hour of racing through open fields, past ancient trees, and under rain that relentlessly pounded from above, their feet splashed through puddles until they finally saw a ship with a massive engine docked in the distance.
They skidded to a stop at the sight of a man dressed in all black—a sleek military uniform from Quivarem. A long coat billowed behind him, and a single badge gleamed on his chest. He wore a matching black hat adorned with a silver star, with a chain looping around its brim.
"Who the hell are you three?" the man asked, placing a hand on the hilt of his katana. His sharp brown eyes studied them carefully.
Zay coughed slightly before replying, "My name is Maven Rockers. I was told there's a ship of great importance waiting here for me. Is that correct? I've made a long journey with my two disciples. We have plans—and other masters to see—to continue their training."
The man gave Zay a once-over before turning away. His coat flared behind him as he walked, just as the rain began to die down—Lily and Renzo's aura slowly fading away.
Zay's aura coiled up from his legs, wrapping around his body in a thin, steady layer.
"Follow me, Maven Rockers. My name is Aquarian Xybolt, First Commander of Quivarem's military operations—RWB. That stands for Radioactive War Battlefield," he said, spitting off to the side before heading toward a nearby stone building. He disappeared inside for a few moments and returned holding a small bronze key.
"This is the key to the ship known as True Wind. As the documents you received mentioned, the ship runs entirely on aura. If you don't supply enough, it won't do shit. The ship needs cleaning at least twice a week, and the engine will automatically clean itself during power production."
Zay nodded thoughtfully. "I see… Thank you for the explanation. We'll be on our way now, unless there's anything else you need to tell us? We are… on a tight schedule, after all."
Aquarian gave a brief nod, stepping aside as he extended his hand, holding the bronze key. "Nothing else, sir. I wish you an amazing journey, Sir Rockers."
Zay took the key from him, their hands briefly brushing as Aquarian let it fall into his grasp. The commander gave him a final, respectful nod before turning and walking back toward the front of the port, resuming his position.
"Damn, you played that off pretty well," Renzo whispered, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Zay rolled his eyes but didn't respond, his gaze already fixed ahead. His eyes locked onto the ship, a faint chuckle escaping his lips as he walked forward.
Lily and Renzo followed him, their footsteps echoing on the wet steel as they boarded the ship. Zay surveyed the deck, the massive expanse of metal beneath their feet. His gaze lingered on the large chain that connected the ship to the dock. He crouched down, his aura surging into his arms, before gripping the chain with a firm hold. With a grunt, he pulled it up, the heavy link groaning in protest, but he managed to lift it and secure the boards to the ship's railing.
"Are we ready to go?" Zay asked, his voice calm as he released the chain, letting it fall back into place with a heavy thud.
"Hell yeah!" Renzo replied, he immediately made his way to a leather couch, kicking off his boots as he sprawled out, feet propped up on the cushion. His eyes closed almost instantly, and within moments, he was asleep.
Lily took a seat on the opposite couch, the red leather creaking softly as she leaned back, tilting her head to gaze up at the ceiling. Her thoughts seemed distant, lost in the quiet hum of the ship.
After several minutes of wandering through the various rooms, Zay found his way into the control room. The dim light of the ship illuminated the space, casting shadows across the various panels and levers. At the center of the room sat a large chair, a wheel, and an array of colorful switches and buttons. Zay's fingers brushed over the controls, his eyes scanning over them, before his gaze landed on a white button that jutted out slightly from the others. It had two words etched into the steel in black ink: On Button.
Without hesitation, he pressed it. The loud click of the mechanism reverberated throughout the room, followed by the hum of power coursing through the ship. Four dim white lights flickered to life. Two illuminated the ceiling behind him, positioned so they wouldn't blind him but lighting the switches and buttons in front of him with soft light. Two more flickered on—one on each side of the door.
Zay muttered to himself, "I could get used to this."
His eyes drifted around the room, scanning for anything that might catch his interest. On a nearby shelf, something gleamed faintly. It was a black hat, its brim slightly extended to give it a functional yet stylish design. He walked over, his boots clicking softly on the metal floor. Reaching up, he took the hat in his hands, turning it over as if inspecting it. After a moment, he placed it on his head, smirking as his long black hair, streaked with white and red, swayed behind him.
He sat down in the chair, looking out the large glass window in front of him. He gripped the wheel. Aura surged through his hands, turning the iron wheel until it began to spin, glimmering with a violet hue. Slowly but steadily, the ship lurched forward, cutting through the water as it began its journey.
'This wheel… it absorbs aura and stores it somewhere, directing it to the engine when needed. What the hell is actually happening? You don't see this kind of thing in the first realm, Akser. But these types of ships are common in the second realm. Interesting, though.'
Zay continued infusing his hands with aura as the wheel absorbed it.
"Arbiter: Resonance Lens. Core Information."
[Cores]
Aura Core: 85%
Monster Core: 100%
Zay observed his aura core and decided to increase his output, watching the numbers in his reserves steadily drop. Once the Aura Core reached 50%, his aura faded as he adjusted the wheel, steering the ship toward the direction of Ovaris Docks. After a few seconds, he released the wheel and leaned back into the large, comfortable chair.
Minutes passed, but the wheel remained still. The ship continued on its path, the wheel turning automatically in response to the waves slamming into the ship. A small smile tugged at Zay's lips.
"Damn... this will be useful. I can't believe I have something like this... so early."
He chuckled to himself, standing up and walked to the door. He reached for the handle and turned it, the door creaking open as he stepped out of the control room. Leaving the door ajar, he walked down the hallway, his eyes scanning the several doors on either side that he had already checked. At the end of the hallway, he opened a larger steel door that led out to the deck. Looking up through the darkened glass above, he sat down on the third couch, leaning back against the soft leather.
"They'll be fine... don't worry so much about our parents, alright?" Zay said, glancing over at Lily, who seemed consumed with worry.
"What about Maple?" Lily asked, turning her gaze toward him.
"We all know Maple doesn't do anything to put herself in danger. She's the one who's always worried about us," Zay replied.
"That's exactly why I'm worried. What if she went out one night to look for us... and got kidnapped?" Lily's voice trembled slightly.
Zay swallowed hard, his lips pressing into a tight line. He exhaled slowly before speaking, his tone firm. "She's terrified of the dark... There's no way she would go out looking for us. It's just not like her. So stop worrying so much. It'll be fine."