Orion’s Torch? What a splendid name!

  Esau’s mind spun upon hearing the First-mate’s words. The young prince huddled closer, anticipating a follow up from the rather roguish man.

  Odin didn't notice Esau’s excitement. He sighed and glanced around, before casually saying, “A lot of sailors have claimed to witness an odd phenomenon around these parts. They say the seawater randomly assumes a bright golden colour that, apparently, is a result of an oddly lit object underneath the sea. Of course, none of them have had the guts to venture deep into the dark depths to search for what it could be. But, we have an idea.”

  If there was one recurring factor about the legends and treasures at sea, it was that they were fraught with danger— be it traps or dangerous deep-sea lurkers, it was quite easy to encounter harm. Thus, regular transport ships and sailors could only leave the treasure seeking to the bold adventurers and pirates.

  Over the era, a few pirate ships made a name for themselves by venturing beyond the safe sea routes in search of treasures. One of them was the Knuckleback, and this sentient ship was only second to the infamous Pillager.

  “What exactly is Orion's Torch?” Heather asked a question Esau had been hoping for. She had been away from sea for a long time and couldn't keep up with the corresponding tales.

  The captain of the Knuckleback, Bjorn, cleared his throat and explained in his baritone voice, “Torch of Orion is great treasure of sea. They say that torch is artifact of dead Paragon.”

  Second-mate Odirov chimed in, “But that's not what makes it special, no–what makes the Torch of Orion heavily sought after amongst the seven Great treasures is the belief that it allows the wielder to instantly rise to the corresponding grade.”

  The Graced and The Blessed were graded into five, of which depended on the vastness of their Essence Pool. With Seeker being the lowest grade and Ascendant being the pinnacle of power. Paragon was directly below Ascendant, and this grade was extremely rare.

  Those lucky enough to be directly born as a Paragon, or worked hard enough to attain such a level, ended up as important figures throughout the land. Like being the commander of the Imperial Order, the king's aid, powerful nobles or Grandmasters.

  “That doesn't sound very believable…” Esau, who had been listening intently, voiced his doubts.

  Odirov chuckled and tapped his forehead twice. He said with a knowing smile, “Little lad, You'd be surprised by the mysteries of the world.”

  “Like the Ghost Knight?” The little boy asked almost immediately, as though waiting for this exact opportunity.

  The expressions of everyone gathered suddenly froze. An obvious tension filled the air, and Heather asked with obvious surprise, “Where did you learn of that name?”

  Why the sudden switch? Is this Ghost Knight some sort of terrifying figure? Esau wondered and responded, “I overheard Imogen talking about it with her group of friends. She mentioned that she had heard it from one of the Grandmasters in passing.”

  His eyes flickered as he quickly asked, “Is it true that an entire Dwarven city was destroyed by this person? Who is the Ghost Knight?”

  Heather and the mates of the Knuckleback exchanged dreadful looks. The beautiful lady with lustrous golden hair sighed deeply and shook her head.

  “Not a Who, a What.”

  “Sigh… where do I even begin?”

  She organised her words and explained with a solemn look, “There are certain oddities in this lonesome world of ours. Certain places or entities that are difficult to comprehend and have been regarded as mere myths. The Ghost Knight is one of these ‘myths’.”

  “Nightmare tales,” The quiet Second-mate chipped in.

  Heather nodded.

  “But we, and a few other people, know better. Be it those who have experienced these nightmarish events up close, rulers of various kingdoms, or other powerful figures. These aren't myths. They are very much real. Maybe exaggerated to a degree…”

  Esau nodded repeatedly, completely immersed in the unsettling atmosphere.

  This was what he lived for. Probably, if he had to pick a path different from that of ascension, it would be becoming a scholar of the past.

  “As for the Ghost Knight,” Heather paused and glanced at the others, as if saying; do any of you want to take the lead?

  The third-mate cleared his throat and helped her out.

  “Aye, tis’ an unholy creature that wanders the realm, carrying the stench of death!”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  “Tis’ dastardly powerful, and merely being in its presence will cause bloody bad damage.”

  Odin added with an unamused chuckle, “The Ghost Knight is the harbinger of destruction. Wherever it walks, chaos follows. Yes, it is Calamity from beyond, oblivion embodied.”

  “Beyond Calamity…” Esau muttered in a low voice. From the corner of his eye, he saw the solemn look on Heather's face. Beneath the calmness was a hint of dread that Esau didn't think was possible.

  No, it really wasn't possible. After all, Heather was an Ascendant. An entity far above every other!

  What in the world could possibly terrify her?

  The boy swallowed and asked, “Have any of you encountered this Ghost Knight?”

  “Only the captain and Heather,” Odin answered.

  “A truly humbling experience…” Heather grimaced.

  “But you're an Ascendant,” Esau squeezed out the words and watched as Heather laughed in a self-deprecating manner.

  “So? Humans, as well as other races, have a clear limit. The same can't be said for spirit world creatures or some other abomination that walks the land or dwells in the deep.”

  Odin nodded his head in agreement. He for one, knew the Obnimi was bound to grow beyond the limits of a Paragon sooner or later. And after that, it would surpass what Ascendants should be capable of. If it lived long enough, that is.

  After a long silence, Heather pursed her lips and recounted her experience, “I was about fourteen years of age when it happened. I was practicing how to create warp gates at the time. Uh- this was a few months before the king and queen took me in. On that day, I achieved my first voidwalk.

  “It felt like I was tearing through a vast starlit void, before eventually emerging on the edge of the realm. All I could see was a pitiful barren land. The sand was scorching and the air was choking.

  “Amidst my initial puzzlement, I suddenly felt intense fear creeping into every fiber of my being. I felt a presence behind me, and a pleading voice echoed in my head. Don't look. Don't look…”

  The lady paused for a few seconds, and her grip visibly tightened around the wooden mug. Her beautiful face bore a frown as she continued, “My curiosity got the better of me. I turned to look. And what I saw that day…”

  “Dammit!” She suddenly clicked her tongue and threw her arms up in frustration. “I really don't want to remember. It makes my skin crawl.”

  The captain of the Knuckleback nodded with clear understanding. After all, he had also glimpsed this odd entity and it still gave him a sense of dread even after more than thirty years.

  The deck suddenly became quiet, save for the cheers that came from the other sailors who were celebrating the arrival of a new month.

  The silence quickly metamorphosed into awkwardness, and Esau cleared his throat and asked, “Ahem… well, what other strange phenomena are out at sea? You mentioned there are seven great treasures?”

  He looked at the captain and the others.

  “There's also the City of Glass. A city rumoured to be built by the Fairy Queen during the era of King Angelos. The City of glass disappeared along with her death, and it's suspected that contained within that city are countless artifacts from over a thousand years ago.”

  Esau was home schooled, and naturally, he had been taught about the history of the world, although he could barely remember anything from before the fourth era.

  According to what he knew, King Angelos Augustus Goldheart was one of the earlier kings of Oralio, his ancestor. They called him the “Son of Man”, and he was the very first Ascendant to be birthed into the world. His accomplishments were known far and wide, as he had led the war against the Abyssal creatures that tried to corrupt the entire realm.

  What made Esau particularly excited was the fact that King Angelos had apparently been from the Dream Ascent. It gave him a hopeful image of what Dreamers were capable of.

  Well, King Angelos was an Ascendant, so I shouldn't have my hopes too high. I still have about a month before my grade can be measured. What if I'm a mere Vestige? Or a Seeker even? No, no!

  The boy couldn't help but tremble at the thought of having a meager Essence Pool.

  Hm, I heard the parent's grade also plays a part when it comes to the amount of Essence Pool one is born with. Yes, that's only right. Father is a Paragon, mother is a Luminary. Even Imogen was graded as a Luminary two years ago. There's absolutely no way I would be lower!

  Esau grinned when he thought about his seemingly bright future. He didn't even consider the Ascendant grade, as that would be a mere fantastical thought. There weren't more than 3 Ascendants in the entire world!

  First-mate Odin went on to talk about a few more of the great treasures, before Heather mentioned that they had to return.

  The duo bid farewell to the sailors of the Knuckleback and Esau took one last glance at the vast sea, before stepping into the darkish-red portal.

  …

  In an exquisitely furnished room, a portal pulsed with otherworldly energy as Heather and Esau stepped out. The latter stretched and sat by the edge of the bed, satisfied with the visit to the sea.

  Heather swiped her hand, allowing the portal to shrink and disappear. She gave Esau a glance and asked, “Would you like to go there again sometime?”

  “Absolutely!” The boy nodded with rare enthusiasm.

  “Heh,” Heather chuckled and said no further words. She spun around and walked to the window, staring at the distant fireflies in the brilliant night sky. The moon shone brighter than ever, illuminating the bustling capital.

  …

  Somewhere in the realm of the unfounded, in a vast space obscured by thick fog.

  Wails pierced the silence from time to time, echoing throughout this unseen land. The grayish fog mixed with the rays of moonlight, creating a somewhat mystical and alluring feel.

  Despite the captivating ambience, the loud screeching and incessant wailing would undoubtedly spur fear In the hearts of whoever treaded this land.

  A heavy foot sank into the reddish soil. This foot was succeeded by another, and the silhouette of a figure rapidly outlined within the fog.

  This figure, tall and imposing, wore a set of pitch-black armour that appeared layered. Despite the seemingly heavy set of armour, the figure’s movements didn't make any sound in the slightest.

  The figure shook— sometimes appearing corporeal, other times appearing quite distinct to the touch. Behind the pitch-black visor were pale blue flames that burned quietly, as though concealing the greatest malice.

  At that moment, a twin-tailed Karambit hopped across the land. Just as it passed around the periphery of the fog-infested area, it suddenly fell to the ground, twitched a few times, before finally losing all signs of life.

  Likewise, the various birds that nested on nearby trees fell to the ground, dead.

  All forms of life decayed at the wake of this entity.

  It was none other than Calamity.

  ..

  This entity that exuded immense oppression traversed the land at a moderate pace. At times, it paused and cocked its head to the side, as though listening to otherworldly whispers, before proceeding in a certain direction.

  Soon, it arrived at the edge of the wilderness and by the very end stood a majestic, seemingly infallible castle. The castle was pitch-black and was made entirely of a glass-like material. This allowed it to blend seamlessly with the environment.

  The Ghost Knight took a step forward and instantly appeared in front of the metallic gates.

  Inside the grand hall of this unusual castle, various murals adorned the left and right walls. Some depicted scenes of bloody sacrifices, others depicted scenes of pious worship.

  Twelve cloaked figures surrounded an altar in the centre of the hall. On the altar was a naked female form. There was a bloody gash visible on her belly, and it seemed like her organs would suddenly erupt as they writhed ceaselessly.

  One of the cloaked figures held a tome that exuded maleficence. The figure spoke in a shrivelled voice, “Place the vessel in.”

  Another moved according to the old man's instructions. He reached into a box and retrieved a wooden figurine.

  Then, the wooden figurine was placed into the lady's gaping abdomen. Though her body was bereft of life, her organs squirmed and quickly absorbed the wooden object.

  “We shall chant the honorific title of our Lord God.” The old man declared. He let go of the tome and watched as it floated unhindered, then pulled back and joined the others in a circle. He seemed to be the overseer of this uncanny gathering.

  The cloaked figures engaged in a ritualistic dance.

  Their bodies twisted in an unnatural manner, and their cloaks rose simultaneously.

  “The Lord who speaks—”

  Creak…

  At that moment, the large double doors that led to the hall slowly parted, ushering in a wave of cold air.

  The elder hissed. “Sigrun, we put up a barrier, did we not?”

  One of the cloaked figures nodded affirmatively. He said, “To be able to bypass our barrier… who could it be? Well, no matter. We shall offer the blasphemer to our Lord.”

  The doors parted even further and the air in the hall suddenly froze. First came its feet, then the dangerously alluring piece of armour. The intruder’s entire being was shrouded in a mist that carried the stench of death.

  At that moment, all twelve figures had a sudden premonition.

  Oblivion had come for them.