Chapter 7: And so it begins!

"Are you nervous?" Sarah asked expressionless, speaking like she truly knew how Solan felt. 

Walking through the heavily guarded palace Solan walked on Sarah's left side just right behind her. It had been a month since he'd arrived and too be honest Solan did feel a bit nervous regarding meeting Master Lumine.

- Lumine was known for holding absolute authority over the marines and held a great influence on the mainland of "Daimon". There were also rumors about that she had killed her brother who was the original successor of the master title. Solan would lie to himself if he wasn't in the slightest of anxious.

"....A bit" Solan spoke with a low tone.

It felt like hundreds pair of eyes were staring directly towards him. The guards standing by the walls had gotten the recent news of Sarah's first disciple and of course they'd be curious seeing him in the flesh itself. 

"Its just a kid"

"No way that's the kid who killed a mutant leviathan"

It was easy to tell what they were thinking about. These guards came from the mainland and they all disliked all people who did not come from the mainland, especially someone who popped out of nowhere and took the spot as a disciple under a admiral.

They continued walking on the long red carpet laced with a golden outline. They sure took good care into maintaining the soldat's headquarters. The white marble pillars holding the ceiling up and the long windows overseeing the city of Soldat. 

"Don't be nervous... Your our 6th vessel, She will spoil you heavily like she did me and the other vessels". Sarah said hysterically hitting his back calming Solan down.

At the end of walk that felt like hours we had arrived in-front of one door with a golden frame telling Solan that they'd arrived at their final destination. 

Sarah knocked on the door three times lightly

No one answered the barrage of knocking and Sarah had enough before she smashed open the door.

"If your going to call for us, then at least answer master".

Looking into the room Solan was utterly surprised by how messy everything was. In-front of him stood tall pillars of papers on a desk, the papers themselves almost reaching the top of the ceiling. Attires and different questionable tools scattered around the floor.

"Hmm... What is it?" Another voice spoke up from another door within the office room. 

A lightly clothed woman with long silky hair golden colored which provided a glistering shine, similar to how the sun reflects the beach. A lean body with long legs that complimented her already elegant-looking features. But if there was something Solan noticed it was her emerald eyes, they were beautiful but just by looking at them it gave Solan a eerie feeling.

"...What the-" Solan stood there silently, his voice shocked but not letting his expression show it. 

Sarah faced palmed, itching the top of her nose.

"Master, what are you wearing....". 

The woman had a drowsy expression, slight bags under her eyes almost like she'd woken up from a deep slumber.

"I just took a nap... These papers works have worn me out...". She said approaching the duo closer. 

"Ah~? Is this your kid Sarah?" she asked getting intimate close to Solan.

Solan knew better then let his guard down. Despite being so close he stood silently not reacting to her presence.

"Solan right~?" she asked curious.

Her eyes were preying on me like i was a oblivious lamb getting hunted down.

"Your pretty cute" her soft voice spoke through Solan's ear.

"Enough Master..." Sarah sighed.

Judging by how Sarah conversed with master Lumine it seemed this was often. At first impression she seemed like a innocent woman but her eyes were telling a whole'nother story.

"Ah Yes!" She clapped her hands taking few steps back. 

"I have a task for your division".

It was just as Sarah had thought, in the end they'd be called for a task.

"Its been a month since your last mission... This time I got something interesting for you..." Lumine gazed at Solan before telling him

"I think this will serve as a good experience for Solan".

She approached her castle of papers and looked thoroughly through them.

"West for the region of O'l Serman there's been constant attacks from one of the islands residing there, Travelers, merchants and even Anax hunters have reported to see gigantic boulders flying towards them...":

"And you think it is?" Sarah asked.

With a quick answer Lumine said "...Its most likely a 'Leviathan' of some kind".

"And our job is to exterminate it?" Sarah said knowing how everything goes in the end.

"Correct!" Lumine answered profoundly. 

-In times like these, If the Anax hunters couldn't handle a task themselves the Marines would have to step in and get the job done. A Leviathan task could spit out mountains of Zul(Currency)

Depending on the Leviathan different parts could be sold for a high price. Used as weapons, armor and even medicine. No wonder the Anax hunters are seen as savages, they are money hungry bastards.

Solan finally decided to speak up, curious about a certain detail. 

"...Uhm, Master Lumine... you said that travelers have seen gigantic boulders being thrown at them... Isn't that rather strange?"

Right, It would be too strange for a Leviathan to throw stones. They all lived in the sea.. If you'd follow theory of evolution most leviathans today would be adapted to swim more then... throwing boulders?

 "Well! Everything's strange isn't it? who knows what kind of Leviathan it is... despite centuries of hunting the creatures we have yet to uncover their way of life".

"That's true... abnormal leviathans have kept appearing the last decades too... Just think what kinda leviathans resides within the unknown regions".

The unknown regions are at the border of Endeia. A border visible by the towering wall of thick mist and wrathful waters. Many warriors in the past both of the marines and Anax had made their mission to explore the unknown regions... but in the end... not a single soul had ever returned. 

"So what about it Admiral? your up to the task?" she smiled teasingly.

"Yes of course ma'am..." Sarah replied. 

Shortly after they were dismissed and headed their way back out of the palace Sarah asked Solan "...What's your thoughts about the master?"

"...Shes... Impressive....". 

"Impressive?" Sarah replied, a amused smile on her face.

"..Yeah, shes impressive for sure...":

***

A few days earlier

"So that boy Solan has the ability to resurrect the dead?" Lumine asked, her eyes widened almost like she was given the best present one could ever have. 

"Yes, that's correct....". Sarah stood in-front of the master.

"...And he can even control a vessel's power already at such a young age...." Lumine thought to herself. 

"...Heh... Sarah... I'm so envious of you... To find someone with such a gift...":

"...That boy will turn the name of the marines into something greater, maybe one day... He will destroy those lowly anax hunters once and for all..." Lumine thought to herself, going rounds with her glass of wine.