Leviathan Hunter

"...Are you alright Samira?"

Within the nursery part of Soldat's base laid Samira, Sitting up from the bed staring out of the vast sea through the window. Seagulls flying under the warm bright sun and the wind breezing through the window making a thud. 

Beside her sat Benedict watching as she kept ignoring him. It wasn't like her but knowing how exhausted she must've been it had to make sense somehow.

'I've heard about the overuse of a vessel, It can exhaust your mental health according to 'Admiral Preto' Over extending yourself will use a lot of one's energy to the point of unconsciousness or even worse... death. In comparison its similar to drink ale to the point of blackout. You can manage to control everything at the beginning but eventually you will lose all self control the more you drink... Or maybe its just me being an alcoholic...". 

Samira sat quietly, she seemed to be out of the world. Her long dark-azure hair resting on pillow beneath her. 

"...Back then... before I unleashed my attack it felt like I saw something... The harder I try to remember the blurrier it gets... A black void.

"I've never been this bothered" Samira thought to herself angrily biting her tongue a bit. 

Samira finally turned to Benedict sitting on the chair, almost sleeping because her constant disregard of his presence. 

"Benedict!" She shouted, loudly enough for him to suddenly wake up almost like he had escaped a nightmare. Sweat dripping from his temple and him looking around waiting for an assassin to strike out of nowhere.

"W-What!?" 

"...Weren't you just awake a few minutes ago?" She asked with an arched eyebrow. 

"...You kept ignoring me, what else could I possible do...". Benedict replied with a shrug. 

Samira huffed before asking 

"...Well, Forget about that... Is my family on their way?" Samira asked. 

"...I recently got a letter from your father Joseph that they'll arrive in Soldat in two days time". 

'Samira watched benedict speaking. It was already that time of the year? Time sure flies fast when your an soldier on the never ending sea. Because... Soldat would soon host their anniversary festival. 'The Grand tournament'

***

[2 days later] 

"...Hey Solan, raise your spear... Your technique is off". 

On the flat training ground stood Solan and Sarah before each other. Wearing a elegant black lose training attire which made it easy for Sarah to move in it. She stared at Solan wondering what was going on, seeing him supporting his hand on both his knee caps she was curious.

"...Huff... Huff" Solan panted heavily, the visible steam coming from his body due to his sweat. 

"...What's with you?" Sarah asked with an raised eyebrow gazing Solan's fatigued state. 

"I've been focusing my vessel the past days...". 

"...Really? You returned from a mission and you wont even take a break? you are determined Solan, that's what I've always liked about you". She smiled pridefully thinking about his hardworking past.

"Take the day off...". She said before approaching one of the wooden stands holding blades by the sidelines. 

"...I wont be able to train you for the next weeks either, It will become busy". She said turning back to Solan placing her sword gently onto the wooden stand, rustling the entire stand at her touch. 

 Solan asked straightening his back despite the constant sweating and fatigue barely able to keep himself together. 

"...Is it about the upcoming festival soon?"

"...Yes, the grand tournament too...". Sarah told turning back to Solan's pitiful state. 

'Once every 5 years, Soldat would host a huge festival where anyone can come, during this time all type of people comes here, travelers, mercenaries, esteemed guest and so on. There will stand hundreds or even more traveler's vendor across the streets of Soldat... I remember the same thing 5 years ago when the festival was going on.. There were too many people'

"...What about the tournament master? are you going to participate in it?" Solan asked curiously.

"...Not this time, Grandmaster Lumine wants me to oversee the battle...".

'Besides the big festival, there's a bigger entertainment behind held on these grounds. The grand tournament, a tournament where vessel users across the 4 continents will are invited to participate in a 1v1 bracket battle. It was made by the first grandmaster of Soldat when he battled against an elder beast who once used to live under the island. To symbolize a battle between the human vessel and the original source of the vessel....'

"...I want to compete...".

Solan thought to himself, smiling widely thinking about the prize and reputation he could gain from winning the whole tournament. The grand tournament was well-known for their legendary matches, A 'once in a lifetime' experience to see vessel users battle each other with the believed power of the Leviathans.

"The festival wont begin until 3 days am I right?" Solan asked.

"...Yes, Lumine is currently checking all the important visitors accepting request for to come here... There will be many important people here including some major anax factions". 

'Even the Anax groups would make their visit to Soldat, it was obvious that they were going to participate in the grand tournament... after all the prize was nothing else but the blood of an slayed elder beast... The winner would get the hold of another power to share' Solan contemplated to himself.

'Sarah had made her leave before Solan could even notice it. Knowing Lumine she would probably give Sarah some exhausting jobs during the time of the festival. Sarah would probably look malnourished and dehydrated, by the end of the week Sarah would definitely look like a zombie that had woken up from the grave'

***

An hour later, Solan was approaching the research facility again Solan held the mysterious tablet in hand. Now able to rest he could visit Trevon for to research. Solan's reasoning for being fatigued was because of the damn tablet in hand, he had tried to open it up continually with his telekinesis. The chains around the stone cover didn't budge at all, it felt the chains itself were part of it. 

'Nothing's been working, I've used everything I can to open this tablet... I've even researching nonstop about what the voices told me... the abyss. Whatever those eyes were, it was no humane at all... I've been using way to much energy before I even realized that I could ask the history nerd Trevon'

Solan said to himself inside his mind walking past the white hallways of the research facility. The white walls straight up being a flash bomb due to the polished and clean walls, the architecture sure was different from the rest of the place he'd ever visited... Solan had to admit that he could never get used to the scenery every time he entered the facility.

Eventually after walking a short while he arrived Infront of the usual door. Trevon's office room stood before him, with a golden plating with Trevon's full name. 

[Trevon Tek]

Solan raised his hand, his knuckle covered by a leather glove making a hard yet soft sound from the light impact.

--Knock knock--

Waiting for 5 seconds Trevon's voice spoke through the door.

"Come in Solan"

'...How did he know it was me? Knowing Trevon I'm pretty sure he gets a lot of visits... Or is it just coincidence?" Solan said to himself before grabbing the silver handle and unlocking the door.

--Buzz!--

A blue sparkle came from the dark office room, Trevon sat by his workbench across the room. Fidgeting in hand with what seemed to be a pipe of flames and metal parts trying to conjoined them together. He wore big metal mask protecting himself from the flame sparkles appearing every time he pulled a trigger on the pipe. 

"How did you know it was me?" Solan asked, suspicious taking off his mask putting it to the side.

"...It was my body that told me.". Trevon said with a smirk, taking off his metal mask too. 

".....".

Solan just silently stared at him, he didn't know if he was being serious or not. Thinking thoroughly it could have an possible correlation with the fact Trevon had injected himself with his blood.

"..I'm telling the truth... Whenever your in the area my body gets goose pumps... Its like its know its original owner is here": 

Solan sat down, bringing a chair to his side from one of the empty desk by the side of Trevon. Sitting down he turned it around, his arms resting on the chair's back. 

"...I didn't expect you to create things yourself" Solan said, his attention turning down to the workbench before Trevon observing the metal cube in hand. 

"...I thought you were just brains, and then you'd let your coworkers do the rest...". 

Trevon laughed, amused by his remark. 

"...I do that often, your not wrong... But when I have some ideas that even my workers cant comprehend I have no choice but to do it my self... That goes for every artifacts I've created for you and the other generals...Having high status comes with privileges". Trevon remarked, his elegant expression shining brightly as always.

Trevon jumped straight into another topic. Knowing that Solan was just trying to steal information from him, taking away his mysterious aura that Trevon thinks he has. 

"How come the visit?" 

"...Its about the upcoming grand tournament. I was wondering if you'd tell me about the elder beast". Solan spoke with an polite tone, his curiosity piqued. Whenever an leviathan was involved Solan would find his way to gather information. 

"...Ah? So you were wondering about that... Well, It was titled elder-beast by the name of 'Rosemael', A long serpentine with special scales that supported its ridiculous attribute. The attribute to control the volume of light". Trevon told, his voice informative and enough for Solan to understand. 

Solan's curiosity was piqued, crossing his arms to feel in a more comfortable position on the wooden chair. 

'Volume of light?' Solan asked his own mind. 

"...What do you mean?" 

Trevon spoke up once again

"...It could control light, imagine a bright flare up your eyes. You can barely see anything and before you know it your dead...". 

Solan contemplated to himself. He wasn't very familiar with the light element on the specter of Leviathans. 'Most of the others served for more offensive or defensive type, utilizing it fully Yes. But light? I can only imagine its useful to escape' Solan thought to himself.

Trevon's smile widened. Raising his glass they emitted a slight sparkle for a mere second.

"...I know what your thinking Solan, Yes... I've theorized that its ability is mostly used for stealth and to avoid humans especially hunter groups". Trevon told whilst fidgeting with the small metal cube in his hand.

"...It's been seen for a decade but not a single group had managed to catch it. It wasn't until we sent one of the mighty admirals to go hunt it down themselves... Chief of the blade-division, Admiral Maestro".

'Admiral Maestro... I've heard about him, hes the currently the oldest admiral within the ranks and from what I know he owns three reinforced galleons and specialize in mostly patrolling... Though older stories say that he used to do criminal and pirate tracking Similar to Sir. Benedict's current work. The reason for his division to be called the "blade" is because Maestro himself is said to be a sword master... A man that even my own master cannot go against..'

"He caught it? Well that must've meant he was here in Soldat recently...?"

"...No, He's quite the lazy type... He transferred the Elder beast via another mercenary ship, Its been years since admiral Maestro have been to Soldat, I can only guess its because the fact hes an old man and has grandchildren now". 

'That's understandable" Solan thought to himself.

Solan's mind kept wondering to the upcoming admirals that were visiting during the festival until the real reason for his visit popped up in his head. 

"...Ah... That's right, There's something I must show you".