A Sweet Victory, I Guess...

Sometimes, a battle can be too easy for one side. How come, you ask?

Lack of information from the opposing forces, that's what.

******

…

The Fortis aide, Fergus has been killed. The mage leader was all but shocked as he saw what happened. The remaining mage forces tried to sustain their foothold. The battle halts immediately as soon as the Areda Cannons fired.

From over a hundred men only 27 mage forces remained. The mage leader deprived of spirit as he saw his lord's armada exploded one by one. He made a decision to surrender to Areda. He had no more reason to fight and so do the rest of the mage forces.

Both sides suffered heavy casualties during the battle in the port, Aredanians and Fortis forces. The battle was actually one sided, with Areda as the undoubted victor. The Fortis prince, Dictum only knew there were a massive firepower stationed at Areda, but he never knew what it was thus marked his downfall as he attempted to take over the island.

As the sun rises, tens of water elementalists are enlisted to extinguish the fire at the forest, while earth elementalists heal the island's ground.

Everyone near the lighthouse can breathe out in relief, some cheered for their victory and some of them hugged their buddies in gladness.

Marco reached the base floor and went out of the lighthouse. Everyone cheered him as he walked out from the lighthouse door. Scias walked to him calmly, "Good work… buddy," he said softly.

"Ah…" Marco nodded, "You too, mate, hehe," he replied smilingly. The two then made an epic handshake.

"Hey, hey, a good rousing party we had," one of the mercenary came.

"Yeah, that was one of a hellish play. Good thing you 'invited' us in, tall guy, tee-hee-hee," said a female mercenary to Scias.

"Invited?" Marco wondered. "Yeah! Big ol' Scias used his sword to project light effects that we mercenaries can translate. He's super smart for using that strategy!" said the female mercenary.

"It was… a technique… I learned when I w-was a soldier…" said Scias softly. He preferred to look away instead of looking into the female mercenary when talking. "Boy, you're a damn tower and you cannot look into mine eyes?" asked the female mercenary. "You should learn from the lighthouse! It's tall, it's big, and most importantly, it gives you attention!" she added.

"You're depicting me as a lighthouse…?" said Scias funnily. Followed by Marco and some mercenaries laugh.

…

Marco and Scias decided to leave the battlefield. They must inform their victory to the twins, Nina and Aily. On the way, Marco mumbled about how the lighthouse's insides.

"…and you know? The lighthouse may be called as a 'light' house but there's not much lighting going on in there!"

"T-That's what'cha get for entering an extremely old building…" Scias replied. "Guess what, the top floor was strangely cleaner than the previous ones. Ain't THAT an odd thing?" Marco stated excitedly.

"Oh, really…? Well… it's the 'reactor' thing on the top floor, right…?"

"Oh, yeah… well, that knocks some sense… but at least they really should clean the first, second and third floor, dude."

"Guess they ran out of budget to do so," said Scias funnily. "Ohoho, that could be the case," Marco showed a smug face.

As the two walked past the burnt plains, suddenly, someone's voice took his attention.

"Hoh... you truly are... an 'Istinggar'... huh?"

Marco and Scias halted their move and turned around at the blue-skinned person near them who wore a mask and a gray fedora.

"Queaz...!" said Marco recognizing the blue-skinned fella. "Well, that's what my clan's name… is… there any problem?" Marco wondered.

"Ah, no, no problem… But... you know…? This is an unbelievable outcome, pretty nifty I'd say…" said Queaz in a careless tone.

"Haha, yeah, thanks, man," Marco smiled.

"Huh? I'm not talking about you—oh, nevermind." Queaz closed the conversation. He then calmly walks into the open plains.

"Thank you, Queaz!" Marco expressed his gratitude.

"Hoh… for what?" Queaz asked without turning around, "You've saved Aily and Nina... you warned them about the incoming invaders, right? So..."

"Oh," said Queaz shortly. "Heh, think nothing of it" he added.

"But I wondered, why didn't you tell anyone aside from them both?" Marco got curious of it, if Queaz did know about the invasion that will take place, why wouldn't he tell anyone but the Meridian sisters?

Queaz finally turned around.

"Didn't tell anyone aside from those two…? Heh, the truth was that nobody listened to me, thinking I'm some sort of a crazy retard. But not for those two lasses, they put a belief in my words although it DID sound weird," he explained in relaxed.

"Actually, I was about to tell you and that tall friend of yours… but somehow, I couldn't find you two," Queaz added. "Either lucky or unlucky… it's you to decide it. So at least I'd say…" Queaz then continued walking into the open plains.

"O-Oh…" Marco comes upon realization that he did go to sleep early. Queaz never knew about his home, let alone Scias, who would likely to sleep in random places.

Marco and Scias dismissed him and proceed to the tower. On the way, Marco made a small glimpse backwards, only to get stunned as he witnessed no one is in sight anymore. Queaz has disappeared into thin air.

Shortly thereafter, Marco got goosebumps. "What's the matter…?" Scias asked. "Hey, Scias… ain't that man... scary?"

"Who…?" Scias had no clue. "Queaz, of course," Marco replied. "Oh, that man…" Scias just realized.

"I wonder… is he from the same kind as the soul spirit—err… I mean Ghosty?" Marco wondered.

Scias, whose beside him asks himself, "Who the hell's Ghosty? Did I miss something?"

Marco then took a deep breath and let it all go in a jiffy. "Oh, well... gotta go, now. Everyone's waiting!" Marco then trotted into the tower. Scias shrugs himself and threw away his unknowing self and joined Marco along the way. He prefers not to overthink about it.

At the tower's entrance, Aily and Nina are seen waiting. As soon as Aily saw the explorer and the towering swordsman, she breaks into tears and ran to the two. Nina followed her from behind.

"Marco! Scias!" she called their names with an adorable smile on her face. "Thank goodness you're safe…!" said Aily expressing her gladness.

"Hm-hm… as promised, we'll return back alive," said Marco as he holds Aily's shoulders. He then shines a smile to her, making her blush and made her felt embarrassed.

"Hey, there, Marco, Scias…" Nina greeted the two.

"Uh," Scias nodded shortly.

"Yo! Nina," Marco waved his hand at her. "We've kept our promise, haha," Marco joked.

Nina then showed a sincere smile, "Welcome back… Marco, Scias."

"Yeah… we're back, Nina."

…

..

.

Aily then let herself off from Marco. "So…? How did it go?" she asked. "A perfect 'A' of course, hehe," Marco replied smilingly. "It's a hectic fight, but we've managed to pull the strings. Thanks to Scias, of course."

"Let's go inside, guys. Phew! Climbing the lighthouse did make a number on my stomach,"

"Uh," Scias nodded long. "Sword banging did eat energy… I hope they had sandwiches…"

"Don't worry, I had the food set up for you two while you guys were away!" said Nina spiritedly.

"Can't wait for that~!"

And with that, the four walked into the tower to celebrate their victory with a great breakfast.

…little did they know, that there is a danger looming in the morning sky.