As noon approached, Drifter heard the distinctive chime of Devita’s Lumina Core. She studied the device intently, her weathered face reflected in its smooth surface as she absorbed the message displayed before her.
With a final glance, she departed, casually bidding farewell to the others—most likely concealing the true significance of what she had read. She left without another word, letting its weight settle in Drifter’s thoughts.
Afternoon sunlight bathed the city as they left the beach. The festival crowds remained as lively as ever, fireworks bursting across the sky in dazzling colors. But as they returned to the hotel, the mood shifted.
Drifter, Hunter, and Jaxon prepared to join the raid with the resistance, while Luna, Alma, and Dheandita busied themselves, transforming into visions of elegance.
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Friedrich had already departed, sending word that he and Virendra were in position aboard the ship. He mentioned that the most likely location for the Black Cube transaction was Grand Commander Lamont’s quarters. However, he couldn’t get there before the raid began—security was too tight. The attachment he sent appeared to be the ship’s layout.
The team gathered in the lobby of the Vanderlane Hotel, anticipation thick in the air.
Outside, a black Solaris Alcherider waited at the entrance, its polished exterior gleaming under the streetlights. Inside, Devita, dressed in an elegant black-and-gold gown, was already seated, waiting.
When the girls emerged, they were breathtaking: Luna in midnight black, Alma in pristine white touched with peach, and Dheandita in an ethereal combination of white and blue. Jaxon''s face split into a knowing grin.
"Well... Good luck, queens and princesses," he said, his tone light despite the gravity of their mission.
The girls returned his smile, exchanging good wishes with both him and Drifter. Alma and Jaxon shared their usual humorous banter, a moment of levity before the storm. As the group waved their final goodbyes, a message from Hunter prompted the Drifter and Jaxon to move. Their own Alcherider awaited them in the old harbor district. Along the way, billboards flashed festival news, the host’s excited voice brimming with energy.
The scene shifted Devita’s Solaris alcherider as they finally arrive at Maranagara Harbor in the city''s southern district as evening descended. A long line of Solaris Alcheriders stretched toward the harbor, their forms idling in quiet anticipation. At the security checkpoint, an officer''s businesslike tone cut through the night air.
"Identification and invitation, please."
The team presented their invitation cards and verified their identities through their Lumina Cores without hesitation, the devices casting a soft blue glow across their faces.
The officer''s scrutiny was thorough, his gaze lingering particularly on Luna, Alma, and Dheandita''s student records. Only Devita’s credentials remained unquestioned—she was the only one truly enrolled at Maranagara University.
After what felt like an eternity, the officer gave a curt nod. "Proceed."
Inside the Alcherider, the tension slowly dissolved into focused determination. Alma broke the silence, her voice low but clear: "Devita, from now on, I''m Alma Garcia, medical student. Got it?"
"Got it, Alma," Devita replied with a slight smirk.
The conversation carried on with playful banter about their cover identities, but all levity ceased as the Alcherider came to a stop before the Yuvaka Cruise Ship.
The vessel loomed before them, its elegant form illuminated by dock lights, while the sounds of celebration drifted through the evening air.
As they stepped onto the ship, the grandeur of the Yuvaka''s deck was almost overwhelming. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the gathered elite, their laughter and conversation mingling with the sea breeze and the scent of delicate perfumes.
Near the entrance, Devita''s parents awaited her arrival. Her father’s proud smile gleamed like polished armor.
"Well, you look stunning, Devita," her father said. "Just like your mother when we first met."
Her mother''s eyes softened with nostalgia. "Oh my... When was the last time we went out like this together, hm? Seems like a lifetime ago."
Devita managed a smile, though her nervousness showed through. "Thanks, Dad, Mom... Sorry, but my friends are waiting. We''ll catch up later."
The group politely bid farewell to Devita’s parents before making their way to the main hall. With each passing moment, the atmosphere grew heavier.
They took their seats at a round table near the front. Close to the grand archway, Sarvan Einar stood beside his father, Radmilla Einar—the Grand Chancellor. The older man’s silver-streaked hair and piercing gaze commanded attention. Beside them, Virendra remained composed, his expression unreadable even as he engaged in casual conversation. Towering over the gathering was Grand Commander Lamont, an imposing Ursidae figure with the stature of a massive black bear. His single eye scrutinized the room, the patch over the other only adding to his formidable presence.
Dheandita''s gaze burned with barely concealed hatred as she watched the group, while Luna''s eyes remained locked onto Virendra, studying his every move.
"Has anyone seen my dad?" Alma''s worried voice cut through the ambient noise. "He said he''d be here."
The group exchanged confused glances, shaking their heads in unison.
"I haven''t seen him either," Luna replied, her tone flat but thoughtful as she continued scanning the crowd.
"Let''s focus on our own… the professor might be doing just fine. He seems confident enough," Luna added.
Alma nodded hesitantly, then Devita glanced around at the team.
"Alright… maybe we can do this," Devita murmured. "By the way, thanks for your input earlier, Luna… that could work."
The girls nodded in silent agreement, their resolve strengthening despite their growing concerns.
Outside on the deck, Friedrich moved with purpose, his motions precise and practiced. His sharp gaze swept over the crowd, scanning each face in search of something—silent, focused, relentless.
Meanwhile, out on the Jaladri Ocean, the Resistance forces waited in the darkness, their wooden boats cutting silent paths through the fog-laden waters. The Drifter stood at attention, watching as Evocaiers manipulated the winds with practiced precision, keeping them beyond the reach of the Vestra system''s detection. The night air carried the sharp scent of salt and wet wood, while the carefully jammed communications systems stood ready to isolate their target.
Agasthya Wahyatma, the towering White-furred Ursidae Holy Knight, took his position at the bow. His dark armor materialized around him, accompanied by a massive axe and great shield. The Drifter followed suit, materializing his disguised full helmet and dark teal armor, while Jaxon adjusted his tactical gear and slipped on his signature aviator sunglasses beside him.
"Let''s hope we''re fast enough, Drifter," Jaxon said with a half-smile. "The others can handle the noise. We get the cube, and we''re out."
"Yeah..." the Drifter responded, his voice steady but careful. "Grand Commander Lamont''s quarters aren''t close, and the security''s tight. Watch your back."
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"Right... But we don''t need any distractions, yeah? Stay focused." Jaxon paused before speaking into his ARF comm. "Hunter, you ready?"
"Affirmative," came Hunter''s mechanical response through the channel.
"Let''s keep it tight—" Jaxon''s words cut off abruptly as the world around them changed.
The Drifter felt it immediately—the unnatural stillness that descended like a heavy blanket. The waves ceased their eternal dance, the wooden hull fell silent, and even the wind died away to nothing. Time itself seemed to stop, leaving Jaxon frozen in place, the moonlight casting an otherworldly glow over his immobile form.
"Jaxon?" the Drifter''s voice was tense, but received no response.
"This again...?" he muttered through gritted teeth as the environment took on an eerie dark green tinge. From the depths of the water, a familiar presence emerged, flickering like a bad transmission.
"Well, well... We meet again, my dear Drifter," the smooth yet eerily distorted voice purred.
The Drifter turned slowly, anger and forced calm warring in his voice. "It''s you... again."
The figure stepped forward in a way that defied physical laws, more like a glitch in reality than a actual being. "Looks like it''s time for formal introductions. You can call me Indifference."
The Drifter''s mind raced, noting how the entity remained present even without the cube''s influence. What was its true purpose?
As if reading his thoughts, Indifference grinned. "What I want? Oh, my dear... isn''t it obvious?" They leaned in conspiratorially. "I''m here to make sure you''re ready."
The Drifter''s eyes widened at this display of mind-reading, but he fought to maintain his composure. "I''m not taking another deal with you... begone."
Indifference''s soft laughter filled the frozen air. "Really? My dear... Something... monumental is coming. And whether you like it or not, you''re involved." Their form flickered like a mirage. "But don''t worry. I''m not here to force you to do anything. I''m just giving you... a little free sample."
"Who are you, really?" the Drifter demanded, taking a step back despite his trembling fists.
"Well well, my dear... that question again..." Indifference shrugged with theatrical carelessness. "Sorry, I''m not here to answer your questions, my dear, just give you another warning and free sample, just one time for my generosity."
The Drifter''s mind raced with possibilities—what was coming? What did this ''free sample'' mean? Without hesitation, he materialized his sword Exaltare, moving to strike down the entity. But as the sword touched Indifference, the blade simply vanished.
"My, my… I''m here to save you, yet you want to attack me." Indifference''s voice carried mock hurt. "I''m quite offended, my dear… until we meet again."
The figure flickered once more and vanished, leaving the Drifter alone in the gradually returning reality. The sounds of the boat, waves, and wind slowly filtered back in, as if awakening from a dream.
"Huh? What''s wrong?" Jaxon asked, confusion evident in his narrowed gaze. "Something in my face?"
"It''s nothing..." the Drifter forced out, though his body remained tense with unease.
His thoughts whirled with questions about Indifference''s identity. Could this be the entity Leila''s crypt message had warned about? The being''s apparent immortality and higher nature sent chills down his spine, but the promise of a "free sample" worried him more. Something terrible was approaching.
The familiar silhouette of the Yuvaka cruise ship finally appeared through the darkness, interrupting his dark thoughts.
"Target approaching—get ready," Agasthya''s urgent voice cut through the ARF static.
"Now!!"
The Arcane Network Disruptor pulsed to life, its energy scattering through the air like luminescent dust in a gale. The leylines fractured temporary, severing both external evocyte energy and the arcane network that relied upon these mystical conduits.
The Resistance boats surged forward, powered by Evocaier wind manipulation. The Drifter watched as panicked guests scattered across the deck while the evacuation commander, tried to maintain order with calm authority.
Resistance forces deployed with precision, their Evocyte Links sending glowing ropes of green, brown, and fiery red energy to secure the ship. Others teleported aboard in brilliant flashes, engaging the defenders before they could react. The sea churned beneath them as more warriors ascended the energy ropes with fluid grace.
The defenders responded with energy projectiles and wind magic, creating chaos above deck. The Drifter and Jaxon prepared for their final approach.
"Here goes nothing," Jaxon said with a wry grin.
"May the Creator bless us," the Drifter replied solemnly.
"Since when do you say stuff like that? Didn''t take you for the religious type," Jaxon chuckled.
Drifter activated his Exalt Shift without a word, his body dissolving into blue particles before reforming aboard the Yuvaka. His Exaltare materialized in his hands, its dark gray blade gleaming as he unleashed Blade Swarm. Spectral swords erupted around him like deadly sentinels, striking with precise force at the nearest defenders.
Jaxon followed, launching himself upward with a red energy rope. "Oh... over already, huh? Great."
"Let''s go," the Drifter urged, his voice low and urgent.
They moved as one through the chaos, cutting a path toward Grand Commander Lamont''s quarters. The Cube awaited them, but time was their enemy now. The Drifter pushed thoughts of The Indifference aside, focusing on the mission at hand, though the entity''s warning lingered like a shadow in the back of his mind.
Racing through the ship’s corridors, Drifter and Jaxon carved a path forward with deadly precision. Jaxon’s twin crossbow guns, the Emberstorm Crossfire, unleashed fiery projectiles as he moved with fluid grace, flames erupting from his boots in a controlled glide.
Drifter held a defensive formation with his spectral swords, deflecting incoming projectiles and magic while engaging in close combat. Occasionally, he unleashed a volley of Exalt Bolt, blue energy streaking through the air. Yet both men remained careful—this wasn’t a mission of extermination. Their goal was the cube, not bloodshed.
They consulted their Lumina Cores, reviewing the ship''s layout Friedrich had provided, and finally reached their destination. The heavy door swung open with an ominous creak, revealing a scene that made both men freeze in their tracks.
The room before them was a testament to savagery. Bodies of Union soldiers and mercenaries lay strewn about in grotesque positions, their pristine uniforms shredded and soaked crimson. The black cube they sought was nowhere to be seen. Acrid smoke filled the air, mixing with the metallic stench of blood as flames licked up the walls, casting writhing shadows across the carnage.
"This wasn''t just a fight..." the Drifter observed, his voice sharp despite its calmness. "It was a massacre."
Their boots made wet, squelching sounds against the blood-slicked floor as they stepped inside, the crackling flames providing a macabre soundtrack to the carnage.
At the center of the destruction stood Leif Morbane, his tailored black suit drenched in blood—a stark contrast to his usually immaculate appearance. In his hands rested his signature weapons, the Vimorian Moralistra—twin crescent-shaped tonfa blades pulsing with molten energy. One of them was pressed against a mercenary’s throat like the shears of an executioner.
The bloodied man trembled, his voice barely above a whisper. "Please... I was just following orders..."
Leif’s expression remained unreadable. Without a word, he moved.
A sharp flash of metal. A sickening slice.
The man’s head vanished, his body crumpling to the floor with a wet thud.
A slow smile crossed Leif’s face as fresh blood spattered across his already-ruined suit.
"Well, thanks for the gift," he murmured to himself before his eyes flickered to the entrance where the Drifter and Jaxon stood.
"Well, well... how can I help you?" His voice carried the smoothness of velvet despite the surrounding carnage.
"He did this all alone?" Jaxon''s voice carried disbelief, but before he could finish his thought, the Drifter was already in motion.
The Drifter activated his Exalt Shift, teleporting forward as his sword left a streak of blue light in its wake. His spectral swords followed in a devastating barrage, but Leif merely sidestepped with liquid grace, his maddening grin never faltering as the blades cut through empty air.
"Ah, the Arcane Saber," Leif chuckled, cruel amusement dancing in his eyes. "I remember you, my friend. You''re still alive? I thought you''d be burnt out by now."
Drifter teleported to a safe distance, studying his opponent with careful calculation. That’s when he noticed—his partner, the young man with silver hair, was missing.
He narrowed his eyes. They must have planned something.
"I''m guessing you came for your little cute cube, didn''t you?" Leif''s voice carried a mocking edge. "Well, you''re not the only one with a claim to it."
The Drifter''s grip tightened on his sword as tension filled the room. He teleported again, this time appearing behind Leif, but one of the twin tonfa blades casually deflected his attack without its wielder even turning to look.
"You know, you’re not quite as sharp as I remember. Tell me—are you really him, or just another Arcane Saber playing pretend?" Leif''s voice dripped with sarcasm.
Jaxon unleashed a rain of fiery projectiles, but Leif merely snapped his fingers. The simple Click preceded an explosion that consumed the entire attack. A second blast detonated out of nowhere near him, forcing Jaxon to dodge, his teeth clenched against the heat.
"Two versus one," Leif mused, "that''s a bit unfair, isn''t it?"
The Drifter tensed, recognizing that despite their numerical advantage, they were the ones at a deadly disadvantage.