Void Spawn - A litrpg adventure fantasy

Samael's gaze lingered on the silhouette of the next island. The boat beneath his feet gently rocked under the soft crashing of waves on the ship's hull.

He could smell the salt in the air and the cold breeze whipping his hair back. It was quite peaceful with the distant bantering of sailors on the dock.

It had been two days since they'd arrived. The atmosphere on the shore was tense for a couple of days after revealing who they were.

A plethora of emotions exploded, some awe and some fear. After all, they had just disrespected the two heroes of Ergo itself.

Questions were undoubtedly raised. Queries why they were here and why they left the frontlines. In the end, it all boiled down to "classified".

They understood. They remained silent about it.

During the last two days they've spent here, Samael has understood much about the culture of the people here. As Cole said, they were indeed stubborn but honest people. Their kindness was rough but full of affection.

It reminded him of Oros, where even the hardest winter could not rob the children of their smiles.

It reminds Samael of what he fights to protect. A world where smiles like these were normal.

Shifting his gaze farther than the silhouettes of the next island, his eyes locked onto the distant mountains of ice.

Pillari.

He wonders what they will find there. To the rest of Ergo, it is a dead land where nothing thrives but frost. His gut tells him otherwise. And his instincts have never been wrong.

Samael's ears perked up at the faint and dull thud of boots advancing his way. Judging by the scent, it was no doubt Aldo.

"Hey," Aldo's voice echoed, the man leaning over the edge of the steel-plated railings.

"Aldo." Samael gave the man a short nod.

It was during moments like these that Samael was unsure how to address people. He had lived his entire life commanding men and soldiers how to fight so that they may witness the dawn tomorrow. Never in a casual conversation such as these.

Yet, he did not resent it.

"So, uh..." Aldo scratched his head, eyes drooped low.

Samael silently read his expression, the passing of awkwardness, embarrassment and resolute will.

"Here," Aldo pushed over a brownish bottle, the liquid within sloshing around like the sea below them.

Samael's brows rose. Rum?

Samael slowly nodded as he gently took the rum, lest he shatter the glass into pieces.

"I'll be off." Aldo slipped away, pace hastened towards the dock.

Samael turned to look upon the captain approaching behind.

"That's his way of apologising." The captain leaned over the rails. "He'll be glad if you drink it."

Samael smiled wryly. "I don't drink. Besides, it doesn't affect me."

"A shame then." The captain took the bottle from Samael's hand. "I'll take it."

A soft chuckle escaped Samael's lips. "By all means." He shifted his gaze back to the next island. "What brought you here, Captain? Surely not just for the rum." His crimson eyes locked onto the man. "You're worried."

A sigh escaped the captain's lips. "I suppose someone of your calibre will notice right away."

"Something wrong? Is it the nobles?" Samael's brows knitted together.

The captain brushed his hand. "No, not them. Nobles, I can handle. But this one? I'm afraid not."

The man pushed forward a piece of parchment paper. "Abominations."

Samael's visage darkened as he slowly unfolded the paper.

To Captain Karass.

Captain Karass, it is I, Briggs. I advise you steer clear of the seas for a while. Merchant ships observed their cargoes attacked by sea beasts. Eight had already sunk down to the bottom of the lockers. The association is shook by this; they might impose a ban for a while. For the love of all that is good, don't push your luck and set out now. Your men aren't awakened; it is suicide.

Briggs.

Samael folded the paper back, his gaze shifting back to the cold water.

Sea beasts.

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It reminded him of one thing.

Leviathan.

***

The howls of men reeling cargo inside the ships echoed in the docks. The captain led the chaotic group of sweaty sailors, directing them with sharp and clear precision.

The captain decided to push it.

Samael was hesitant about the mission at hand. The very thought of crossing over the seas was perilous—all because of his mark.

Samael has an inkling about the sudden influx of sea beasts in the area.

It was because of him.

They could sense him, and thus they yearn for his blood.

Samael could faintly feel it, a bone-chilling sensation drilling his guts. His instincts were already warning him of this foolish quest, but he could not stop here, not now.

The fate of this war lay on their shoulders. With the supplies of Omen cut, the enemy's forces will rapidly weaken and decay. The only way to do so is to cross. So cross they must.

Leviathan.

The great mother beast.

The evil of the depths.

Samael killed its child. It bore hatred for him.

But he will not falter.

He already alerted Ajax of this possibility. The man did not refute his orders to continue the push. Their mission was of such importance.

The route they'll take is one that is dangerous. But it will provide them a faster route compared to the rest.

Should they take that path, they'll be able to make way for the next island in half a day.

Unfortunately, the hurdles they'll face are not something any normal men can handle.

The captain was worried about two dangers in their path. The first hurdle is the Dead Sea. As the name suggests, the ocean there is seemingly dead.

No wind, no wild currents, just pure vast ocean as far as the eye can perceive.

This will make the Wailing Maria stand out like a sore thumb against a sea of endless beasts. The captain reckons most of their firepower will be spent then.

Second is the devil's maw. A section of the path they'll take is dotted with a plethora of jagged stone spikes.

Most boats will be ripped apart by those spikes, even the Wailing Maria itself.

The captain thought of increasing their armour, but they cannot afford to slow down.

And thus they sailed.

Dozens of screams coalesce in the air as a deep tremor tore through the chaos of the dock. Metal creaked and bellowed as the Wailing Maria pushed off against the crashing waves.

All the men within the vessel felt cold sweat drench their backs, their gazes snapping back and forth as they observed the cold waves.

The sea had never felt so cold before. Yet, today it felt freezing.

Samael and Ajax themselves were on guard, their astral and void compasses peeled on max.

However, Samael did not only rely on his Void compass to avoid the massacre with the Arfins before. He had learnt from such a mistake.

As the ship continued to cruise forth, Samael felt the wind brush his hair aside, his gaze narrowing down.

Turning back, he made his way towards the men manning the butchers. New machines that appear similar to harpoons but possess an almost grappling hook design that rapidly rotates midair, dicing whatever it hits.

But such weapons could only go so far against stronger abominations.

"Will we be okay?" Aldo asked Samael.

"I don't know," Samael answered truthfully. "But we have to make it. If we fail now, I fear the scale will tilt to the enemy's advantage."

"We're normal men. These weapons can only sustain us for so long." Aldo's jaw clenched tight.

"That's why we're here," Samael muttered. "We kill those that men cannot."

Aldo sighed, his shoulders dropping low.

Samael tapped the man's shoulder. "Rest for now; the enemy is farther down the route. You'll need all the strength you can..."

"Because it may very well be your last rest."

***

Samael observed the ship rock back and forth against the harrowing waves. They were reaching farther and farther.

The island of Lagos was nothing but a silhouette at this distance, covered by fog and violent winds.

Samael's instincts were growing paranoid with each passing second. The men too.

Samael's silent meditation was shattered by the voice of the captain booming over the entire ship.

Rising from his lotus position, he made way for the deck where the sailors scrambled to their positions, activating the butchers while some climbed up the mast, using scopes to see further.

Ajax followed after, a door opening beside Samael as the man clad in steel walked out.

Their compasses rolled far, scouring the now-still sea for any signs of monsters that would come their way.

For a moment there was deafening silence.

It was odd with how silent the sea was. Every sailor had gotten used to the ravaging winds against their faces, but here? There was nothing.

No waves and no wind, as the captain explained.

Slowly, the minutes passed by uneventful.

Until it came.

Samael turned to glance right of the ship, his crimson eyes peering far into the calm sea.

He felt it.

A single entity entering the range of his radar.

Then two.

Three.

Soon, he lost count.

They're coming.

Samael's figure blurred, appearing beside the captain. "They're coming, hundreds of them. Keep going forward; do not let anything stop you."

The captain nodded as a thunderous order left his mouth. "YOU SCALLYWAGS! PUSH!"

The ship trudged forward, causing men to stumble at the sudden jolt of the ship.

Enhancing his voice, Samael roared at the top of his lungs. "The enemy stands against us! Do not let them through!"

Aldo and the rest of the crew returned to their positions, hands resting on the triggers of their butchers.

"Not yet!" Samael raised his hand, gaze fixed forward on a standstill.

Carefully he separated all that did not matter. The chaos, the fear of the men and the rocking of the ship. He focused on the waves, the faint sound of the hundreds rushing in their direction and the beasts in his compass.

Inch by inch they came closer, so much so the men above the mass soon bore witness to their horror.

"They're coming! Fuck, they're coming!"

Murmurs and panic soon gripped the throat of every mundane man in the ship. However, a single wave of astral pressure from Samael broke them from their trance.

Fear was present, but not to this degree. He was familiar with this one.

"It's observing, yet the effects of its astral pressure are ever present." Ajax's visor tilted towards the distance.

Samael nodded.

The mother was watching, observing.

It was patient.

But so is Samael.

Dropping his hand, he roared.

"FIRE!"

The ship tilted as thunderous metal clicks filled the air, the scent of iron following close.

Samael watched the harpoons fly high, their blades rotating rapidly as they landed on the ocean one after the other, causing small explosions that stirred the calm waters.

Soon, the blue sea was stained red, bodies of all sizes slowly surfacing.

It had begun.