Light Filtering From Above.

Walking further away from the heart of the forest, Cetas and the others continued on their journey to Seyil. Not much has happened over the past few hours - they rested once in a while, defended against animal attacks, and much more.

Cetas could not help but notice Elishia admiring the Luminous White Gel hours upon hours. Naturally, he got curious and asked in a simple tone:

"What is so admirable about that... flower?"

"Oh? I guess you boys wouldn't understand.. Well, like I've said before, it has the capabilities to grant us fair skin! It may not be much of a big deal to you since you-", Elishia frowned for a second, "..already have fair skin but for women like me it would be a great helper!"

Cetas tried to comprehend what she had said but he didn't manage to understand the importance of having fair skin was.

Out of curiosity, he caressed his cheeks with his fingers delicately, feeling its softness and smoothness.

"If that is so, why haven't you used it yet?"

Elishia tilted her head, a petty look painted on her face.

"It's because.. I have another purpose for it."

"What is it?"

She chuckled, somewhat embarrassed on her next choice of words, "I want to eat it, or rather.. cook it."

"Hm..", Cetas had a clueless look on his face, his mind was running thoughts of him eating the white flower.

He imagined that upon chewing the flower, a unique taste of liquid would spew inside of his mouth. It reminded him of the juicy lamb that he ate on the ship a few days ago!

Cetas' stomach grumbled upon the thought of eating, "I think that it'd taste great..'

"You really think so?"

Elishia studied the flower on her palm, it looked to be as small as a finger, with its petals being only as big as a fingerprint. It looked brittle as if one could snap it with even the smallest amount of effort.

The petals themselves were luminously white, with the center being light blue. Additionally, the stem looked to be on a darker shade of white, perhaps it is due to the luminescent properties of the petals that it became overshadowed.

The flower emanated a dim light, illuminating Elishia's delicate hand. On the petals, a droplet of viscous liquid flowed down very slowly.

Upon inspection, a memory entered its way back to Elishia's mind.

"You know, I've heard that the Luminous White Gel is considered as one of the delicacies that exists in this world. However, due to various occasions that happened in the past, people would hunt these flowers down not knowing how to regrow or repopulate them. This resulted in the Luminous White Gel to become as rare as white truffles! The Luminous White Gel was then banned from being hunted and ultimately, its delicacy was forgotten."

Cetas nodded, acknowledging her words.

"I heard that the conditions needed to be perfect in order for this flower to prosper. There had to be the right temperature, right conditions, perfect humidity, perfect soil, and many others. That's why I was so excited at the thought of finding one! A flower that is exquisitely rare is now on the palm of my hands.."

Elishia stumbled upon her words, stopping for a second. When she continued, her voice contained a slight hint of sadness.

"...and that is also why I am so conflicted.."

She gently pushed the flower's petal, glittery and shiny liquid oozed out of its stomata.

"When I was a child, I used to admire the Princess so much that I would follow any fashion trend that she would come up with. Whether she wore a gown, a silver dress, or golden necklaces, I would immediately purchase anything just to become like her. Heck, I'll even wear a garbage bag if she recommends it!"

"I was obsessed, really, and I don't think that's a bad thing, you know.. It helps me work on some sort of goal. Makes me feel some sort of purpose in life."

Gazing up, she saw sunlight filtering from the leaves, coming from above. It illuminated her face, as if the sun were kissing her every once and then.

"Due to my family's influence, all I've done in my life was cook for nobles. Every time, I would watch them enjoy their meals with smiles of desire that scream 'I want more!'. I couldn't blame them, I'm just as naive as those nobles.. If they so desired to succumb to gluttony, then I'd be there to serve them as it was my duty to do so.."

"I truly loved cooking, I love making art that would make people's heart burst in its savory, I love turning simple ingredients into beautifully-made food that people would indulge in. It is my passion and dream to cook for people.."

"But now, I am challenged.. Do I indulge in my greed? or do I ignite the flames of my passion? A once in a lifetime supplement and ingredient is within my palms yet I couldn't bear to make a choice."

Cetas looked perplexed, not understanding the conflict to make a choice for one's own desires.

He stared at the white flower and noticed its delicate allure. Such a small thing could cause a person to be so conflicted inwardly.

He didn't get it at all..

"How could such a tiny flower cause you to challenge your own choices?", Cetas asked with the intent of curiosity.

However, Elishia found his phrase offensive somehow. She stayed silent for 10 seconds and let out a deep breath, considering that the boy beside her, who was younger, is inexperienced in social contexts.

After her long prevailing silence, she quietly uttered:

"It's because we're part of humanity, after all.."

Cetas' eyebrows furrowed.

"Humanity.."

Elishia sighed and waved her hands to change the subject, "Don't mind it Cetas, it doesn't matter that much... I know that I'll make a choice sooner or later!"

She laughed and grinned at Cetas.

Pushing her arm out towards him, she patted Cetas on the shoulder and exuded a warm demeanour.

"It's fine! It's fine! Don't worry about it too much alright? Besides, we should focus on the terrifying task ahead of us!"

With nothing else to say, Cetas replied in a flat tone, "Alright.."

Elishia paced forward a few steps, leaving Cetas in the middle of the bulky Galkan and Elishia.

Soon, a dim and cold light permeated the forest from the horizon, casting shadows behind Skadi and the crew members.

After a few steps, Cetas reached the light.

It blinded him for a couple of seconds but once his eyes adjusted he noticed upon a simple town that stretched over the shore.

He heard waves crash against the cliffs, people conversing left and right, the noise of the fish market, the sounds of kids playing with each other, and much more!

Standing atop of a hill, fresh out of the forest, Cetas covered his eyes with his right arm.

Soon, he heard the familiar voice belonging to that of the captain.

"We've arrived. Welcome to Seyil everybody!"

Then, Galkan stepped in the front, garnering the crew member's attention. In his hands, a large brown bag was tightly tied. The bulky man maneuvered his fingers with a delicate precision, unlocking the bag in a mere second!

"Now!"

He reached inside the bag and brought out worn down clothing that looked to be of sailors, "Shall we blend in?"

*

Cetas walked along with the crew members, standing a few steps behind Reid. He gazed at the direction from which they came from, the sun was halfway covered by the trees which only left a warm orange light cast in the town.

The crew were separated by a couple of meters in order to lessen attraction.

Even though Skadi is an infamous figure within the continent and someone well-versed about criminals and pirates would know what she looked at with one glance, right now she looked nothing like the infamous pirate clad in black! She wore a worn down sailor's outfit, looking like a lost sailor that had washed upon Seyil's shores.

Along with her, the crewmembers blended well - they seemed prim and proper sailors that worked for the government. Even if their clothing were worn out, this only further served as an evidence of them being lost.

There were many people in the town, mainly ones who were visiting the fish market. The smell of raw fish seemed oddly familiar to Cetas, perhaps it is linked to his past that was once forgotten.

Nevertheless, there were many stalls from which they were walking. Near the shores, stands with different plants from the sea, multitudes of fish, and meat that isn't that common was seen.

All around him, people were drenched in sweat as their clothing showed wet marks. People of different shapes and sizes looked glamoured by the uniqueness of the products of Seyil.

It seemed that in other parts of Helios, the meat being sold in the market were quite rare.

Perhaps it is even illegal to sell them.. Cetas did not know.

To those not part of Skadi's crew, Cetas seemed like a normal civilian going about his way on the fish market. Before they made their way to the fish market, the small town seemed quiet. Cetas very seldomly saw people on the streets, however he could feel prying eyes coming from the sealed-tight windows gazing at the distinct figures of the Aegir pirates.

It took a few minutes traversing through the tight maze of Seyil's street. Once the sound of waves crashing got louder, they knew that they were close to the fish market.

With the louder waves, voices also turned noisier. The streets became more crowded and a general atmosphere of a market exuded in Cetas ears.

The reason as to why they were in the market right now is aligned with Skadi's plan.

It is through the bustling crowd that they can blend in with Seyil's society. Furthermore, the fish market is located in the commercial district. Here they can find places to stay and diners to eat in.

Additionally, Skadi knew that there are bound to be some crewmembers of the Red-Bandana pirates in the fish market.

Whether they are blending in with the crowd or hiding in plain sight, it would've been useless. The reason for this was the existence of Reid's unique Zeal.

His Zeal allowed his eyes to see in the higher planes of the Metaphysical Realm! Instead of gazing at the incorporeal world, Reid could directly see and touch an individual's soul.

Although Skadi has the same ability to enhance her eyes, that only worked on the Physical Realm itself - making her see the intricate details of the surroundings around her.

This made her greatly efficient in battling as she can notice whether a muscle contracts or moves, predicting the next move of an enemy before they could even attack!

With her immense speed akin to that of a gale, she has been dubbed in many continents as a monster and one of the feared pirates.

Mostly, the ones fearing her were the pirates themselves as she is known to have collected thousands of Solaris in bounty!

However, currently, her ability to enhance her sight in the Physical Realm could not be utilized well.

Hence, she had to count on Reid.

In front of Cetas, Reid moved like a ghost with no feet. His upper body didn't seem to move yet his legs were walking elegantly.

Moreover, his head was akin to that of a chicken, facing only in front of him and it didn't seem to move an inch.

What Cetas could not see, though, was Reid's busy eyes. Hidden behind Galkan's bulky figure, Reid's eyes glowed luminously white.

His pupils shifted in every direction and it looked like he was studying every individual around him.

Reid's white hair covered his radiant eyes which made it hard for others to notice something peculiar.

With one glance Reid would know if a Soul had been tainted.

The Red-Bandana Pirates were a notorious group that had plundered, slaughtered, tortured, and raped many people!

The more that a Soul seemed disconnected from the body, the more the person had been indifferent to the world.

In a sense, Reid knew that most criminals had their Souls sticking out from their body since they have already been detached from reality due to causing multiple heinous practices.

It is said that once a ruthless individual had taken the life of another person, they would feel fulfilled and experience a great high. This caused their sense of self to scream in every direction.

Perhaps, one may also call those with disconnected Souls to be free. However, a truly free person wouldn't take another's freedom.

If an individual's Soul were disconnected from their body, they would be deranged to the point of losing their wisdom, living only with their primal instincts to eat, kill, and consume their desires.

There were three types of Souls for those that partake on the path beyond the Metaphysical Realm.

A compressed Soul - individuals that have a radiant speck of light inside of them. People of this kind are naturally intact with their individuality, staying oblivious to many conflicts that arise in the world. Commonly, people with compressed Souls aren't skilled to harness their Zeal. Hence, Reid considers these people to be civilians or innocents.

The next ones are Souls covering the entire body. Individuals of this kind are mostly Zealots, those that can harness Zeal and learn to harness their body to its full potential. They are connected with their individuality and due to this, the Zealots who have Soul covering their body aren't susceptible to losing control unless a third-party would interfere and paint them with Dread.

Lastly, the already mentioned Souls that have been disconnected from the body belong to the killers and people that have done evil in the world. These are insane and deranged individuals who would think that taking another person's life is fulfilling and pleasing. Zealots that have disconnected Souls are most at risk of losing control and turning into a Dreadspawn.

All of the Aegir crew contain the 2nd type of Soul. They never see killing as fulfilling and have always abided by their morals. As much as possible, Skadi doesn't want her crewmembers to take another individual's life.

In Cetas' case, he seemed to be a great peculiarity. As mentioned by the Historian, Cetas didn't seem to have a Soul! Although they knew not of the reason, the Historian theorized that as Cetas ascended the ranks of a Zealot, secrets regarding his Soul would be revealed.

In any case, Reid worked his eyes tirelessly, gazing at the crowded streets with the precision of studying every single individual.

Every now and then, they would stop to gaze at the stalls and purchase a few products to utilize.

Half an hour had passed and Reid hadn't found anything yet!

Thus, after spending their time in the fish market, the crew decided to head to the docks.

It took a few minutes to walk past the crowded streets and traverse the turns and edges of Seyil.

Then, upon reaching the docks, Cetas noticed various galleon-sized ships being worked upon by skilled shipwrights.

Arriving one by one, Skadi and the others stuck together and searched for an individual to inquire about developing a new ship.

However, before they could even enter the perimeter of the dock, a scrawny man with black hair approached Galkan.

"Sire, what is it that you desire amongst our ships? For a sailor of your stature and size, I would recommend one of our highest quality ships! Ranging from the best galleons to our brigantines, we would develop any ship of your request for the price of 20 Solaris!"

"Hmm", Galkan crossed his arms to think and glanced at Skadi, who was standing a few meters away from her.

Seeing his need for approval, Skadi nodded casually.

"What are you offering?"

Hearing his response, the scrawny man almost jumped from excitement, "Great! Great! Over this way sir!"

Moving his big bulky hands, Galkan gestured Elishia and Jones to accompany him.

In a moment, they were near the large ships in the dock, listening calmly to the scrawny man.

"We needed a ship, anyways. Getting information here would prove useful.", Skadi suddenly appeared beside Reid and Cetas, her fingers delicately placed on her soft cheeks.

"For now, let us rest. Your eyes must be strained by now, Reid.."

Almost immediately, the radiance from Reid's eyes dimmed down and returned to its normal state. At the same time, Skadi placed her smooth hands in Reid's head, "Thank you, Reid. You've done well.."

"..aye."

Cetas sat down near a grassy patch on the docks. Beside him, Reid rested his eyes and had it closed for the moment.

Cetas looked around, seeing that the docks had significantly lesser people around. It felt as if he was back to the streets before they made their way to the fish market.

The difference is now, he felt that there were no prying eyes that gazed at them directly.

The wind blew from the ocean, pushint Cetas' dark blue hair back. He gazed at the crashing waves, and then to the depths, and then to the blue horizon in the distance.

The sun behind Cetas had now disappeared, and darkness soon enveloped the entire dock. The sky was colored dim blue and the clouds moved softly with the soft winds.

Cetas gazed up, admiring the dim blue skies above.

Suddenly, the familiar small grain of sand appeared in front of him.

Distracted, Cetas followed the grain to the left. He shifted his eyes in its direction, seemingly headed to the streets back to the fish market.

Although the houses were quite worn out, their number was still significantly numerous. Most were made from wood, but seldomly there were cobblestones and bricks.

The grain of sand headed to a wooden house, standing in front of a vintage doorway that had broken planks as a remedy for its broken stature.

Cetas scanned the door from afar, Reid rubbing his eyes softly.

Then, the broken door opened, revealing an individual with luscious black hair lengthed down to his hips. The individual wore a cerulean long coat, with brown leather boots that supported his weight.

Suddenly, the individual inside the pockets of his cerulean coat. In a few seconds, a vial of blood was in his hands. Placing pressure on the vial, it immediately shattered into many pieces, wounding the individual's hand.

The blood splattered across the pavement in front of the wooden house, forming a distinct pattern that Cetas could not quite distinguish due to being afar.

The individual then shifted his head at Cetas, locking eyes with him. Although Cetas could not see his eyes, it contained a deep enough pressure to make Cetas' body shudder.

Then, the individual tilted their head to the direction of Reid, staring at him with deep ferocity.

The blood on the pavement began to rise, making its way to the long haired individual's arm. Within a span of a half second, the individual's hand looked augmented with crimson-red blood.

Raising his augmented arm, the individual made a shooting gesture with their fingers. With a flick of his thumb, pressurized blood began to form on the edge of their index finger.

Cetas felt terror emerge from within him, he jolted up and screamed:

"Reid!"

Moving through his instincts, Cetas stretched his right leg and kicked Reid in the chest, pushing him backwards on the grass plot.

No longer rubbing his fingers, Reid glared at Cetas, "What the hell!"

His words were abruptly stopped by a centimeter wide, crimson line that pierced through the space where Reid was sat upon.

Reid immediately unsheathed the blade on his waist and formed a defensive stance.

Another line of crimson blood shot through, however it seemed to have stopped mid-air!

The blood deformed and became liquid once more, splattering on the edge of the pavement where grass meets cobblestone.

Cetas turned around and saw Skadi with her hands already on Windslinger, sparks of green lightning forming inside of it.

Then, before another crimson line could be shot out, a compressed green lightning cracked in the air a single time, heading in the direction of the long haired individual

In an instant, the individual's heart was pierced!

Skadi had felled the immediate foe!

5 seconds had not even passed yet the enemy had already been dispatched.

Cetas looked at Skadi with awe.

She extended her hand towards Cetas and Reid, casting a layer of compressed winds around their body.

"Are you both alright?!", she expressed with a hint of heavy worry in her voice.