Chapter 2- Princess Aralyn
The boy looked around him for a second. His arms and legs were still shackled, so he didn't have much freedom to move.
"We are dead! We are all dead!!" One person yelled from the other side of the room as he kicked the wall, cursing angrily. "Those bastards want to use us as disposable shields! They will kill us!!"
Nobody replied as they sat down, their faces dark, grim, filled with despair. They knew the moment they were told that they were going on this expedition that their fate was death and nothing else.
The nobles wanted to use them as slaves, servants, and things they could use for their advantage in any way. That includes throwing them in the jaws of death whenever the time calls for it. A true human shield.
"So what? Cry all you want, that won't change anything. You might as well spare yourself the effort and shut the hell up." A woman replied with a dark frown on her face.
"You shut the hell up, woman. If you are suicidal, good for you, I'm not."
"Go ahead then? Jump off the ship and set yourself free. The door is over there." She replied sarcastically as a dark smile formed on her face.
"You!!!"
As the conversation went on, the boy ignored it and walked to the small window in the corner of the room where he could look outside. The first thing he saw was the black, terrifying water beneath them.
It was akin to an abyss, endless, unknown, and chilling. Who knew what kind of abominations lurked within its veil. Perhaps that was why nobody comes back, because nobody knows what lives in these seas.
The abominations they face on land are already terrifying enough.
'...' He blinked slowly before he shifted his glance to the harbor, where people stood. They looked at the ship with awe, their eyes wide and curious. All the previous hatred and violence were gone, as if these prisoners had been completely forgotten the second they disappeared on board.
That was not that far from the truth. Every single prisoner on this ship was a nobody, a scum lower than the lowest homeless man in that city. They have been rotting in jail for years, some for decades, and nobody remembers them or their names.
"Look at them… So blissfully unaware." As he stood there, he heard a man speak next to him with an ugly laugh. He looked old and sick, as if death was already knocking on his door. "They think by sending us to our deaths, they get to live longer. Blessed by the dead Gods themselves."
"..."
"These sacrifices make them feel like they're doing this world good. Hahaha! Dare I say we're the blessed ones! We won't live to see the kind of punishment the Dead Gods will send upon these humans!"
The boy stared at the man silently while others tried to avoid him. He looked crazy, and his behavior was that of a lunatic; they didn't want to associate themselves with lunatics.
Eventually, the young man turned around and stared outside again, right at the time when things started moving. The quiet citizens got riled up, announcing the arrival of the stars of the show… The nobles.
They arrived in luxurious cars and on horses; their clothes were shiny and pristine, almost dazzling. They looked beautiful, mesmerizing, and strong… Each one of them looked healthy and strong, with enough confidence to loathe this very world.
The Nobles, or as they are called by some, the People of God, were the highest rank in the entire city, right below the king himself. They were the richest and most influential. Nobody dared to oppose or offend them, knowing fully well the punishment for that was a painful death.
"Whoa!!!"
"They're here!"
"Look at that car…"
The fleet came to a halt at the harbor as men and women started walking out. They all wore formal clothes that accentuated their status as the true chosen ones.
They were welcomed with cheering, flowers, smiles, and compliments. A long carpet has been laid out across their path as over a hundred of them walked through it. They greeted the crowds with smiles as they walked toward the ship.
They were all beautiful, an ironic contrast to the prisoners who walked through that same exact path a few minutes ago.
Amongst them, one particular person stood out that citizens focused on. Easily the most important person in the entire trip and the one least expected to be a part of the expedition.
"Is that her highness?"
"... So breathtaking… Every time I see her, she's so gorgeous."
"It was like God had personally created her to be his favorite…"
The girl they were talking about walked in the middle of all the nobles, being surrounded like a wall to protect her from the world. She was beautiful beyond reason, so much so that every person who laid eyes on her fell in love with her at first sight.
Her long, luscious white hair dropped over her shoulders. Her sharp, green eyes, like gems, stared ahead, cold and indifferent. Her body was clad in formal clothes that visibly accentuated her seductive figure.
She was Aralyn Silveroul, the daughter of the current king of the City of Hope, Theodorix Silversoul, and she was the third in line for the crown…
Yet, for some reason, she had decided to join the expedition. The news sent a shockwave across the city. How could the princess go on such a dangerous trip? And even more so, how did her father accept it?
It was a complete mystery for everyone.
The princess didn't greet anyone, nor did she look at anyone. Her mere presence was already ethereal and mystical, as if she were a goddess who had descended upon their mortal realm to bless them.
The prisoners watched through their windows as these individuals climbed into the ship.
The time for departure had finally arrived. In a fit of irony, that time was the biggest moment in the lives of some, and the worst nightmare in the lives of others. Some stepped into that ship, wishing to create history, and some stepped into it knowing they would be forgotten the moment their lives came to an end.
Some were nobles of the highest ranks, with power to reshape the world… And some were prisoners, slaves ready to serve these Godly figures.
Yet, be it as it may, they all got into the same ship, and under the eyes of the hopeful citizens, Serenity of the Sea was about to set sail.
But, surprisingly, as the nobles finally got on board, one of them stood behind and stared at the masses. Many recognized him as Elric Ravenheart, the leader of the expedition and the highest in command next to Aralyn. He was also known as the man who wanted this expedition the most and worked toward making it a reality.
He was a man in his mid-30s with blonde hair, blue eyes, handsome features, and a strong, tall build. He had a confident look and a very strong presence that dominated everything around him.
"Oh people of the City of Hope." He spoke with a clear, loud voice. "Today announces the moment when we will change history. The day when our lives will change forever. We are about to embark on a journey that many have dared to try before, and sadly, not many have succeeded. It is deadly, unknown, and frankly speaking, reckless."
His words were calm and confident, provoking a sense of awe in the eyes of the citizens even as he poked holes into his very own plan.
"However, who are we if we don't dare to risk it all? Who are we if we don't venture out there and discover this magnificent world? Our entire lives, we have been stuck on this land like a prison. I believe that it is time to change that, to finally break the curse and find the world that is waiting for us beyond this ocean. I, Elric Ravenheart, and my people of all the houses and clans in our city, shall do everything in our power to reach the other side."
"..."
"We are strong, we are capable, and we are passionate. Know that we will carry all your wishes, all your hopes, and dreams, all your desires with us. It is our driving force to risk everything for that one dream. Oh, people of the City of Hope, if you wish for the day when we find the world outside, if you wish for the moment when your feet step into heaven… Then believe in us, pray for us, and give your powers."
He clenched his fist before he lifted it as the sun rose from the horizon, illuminating his figure in a dazzling light.
"May we find the new world."