Leviathan Hunter

".....":

Silence.

There weren't anything to hear except a dark eerie buzzing coming from the distance. 

Opening his eyes Solan saw the darkness again, there was nothing but void in every direction. 

His hands glowed brightly through the darkness. Similar to how the texture of the phantoms that attacked him when he was a kid. 

Solan turned to what was Infront, his gaze serious raising his arm to his side, his hand at the level of his shoulder. 

"Rise from the depths".

The black surface floor standing started to emit a calm soothing aura, a small incarnation shape. The aura started to form into phantoms.1 It stretched wide and out, two leviathans appearing in a jade color. 

The silver-back leviathan was in a phantom like preset. It was nothing but a mere former shell of what fearsome beast it used to be, a puppet under absolute control.

On the left side for Solan was another Leviathan, way smaller then the leviathan to its left side. A lesser Leviathan which was an overgrown eel with traits unusual for a normal eel. 

'Years ago I experimented with the true power of my vessel, necromancy. Using it in the real world depletes my energy and I can only do one summon... Which is why I learned to create my own world of tranquility'

"..This place... Is the best way I can train my vessel is by doing it in my head... in a space where I can imagine everything".

Solan inhaled deeply before raising his other hand. 

'Its always been like this, the only way I can get stronger is to further connect the past memories of those before me. Wade and the Blacksmiths were memories that came out of nowhere, I only realized 1 year ago that I've hit a wall because there's an certain requirement to connect to the 3rd user...'

"...And that's too drink the blood of elder beast...". 

'There have been experiments in the past, in fact 2 recorded attempt's for vessel users to drink a second elder blood because they thought their power wasn't enough'

'It ended with up their bodies either disintegrating or explode, similar to how an unworthy person first time drinks elder blood'

Solan stood in the silence, aura emanating slowly up his body similar to steam rising from the cold landscape at the gaze of the morning sun. 

"...That's why I'm gonna compete in the upcoming match... to win the tournament prize and successful open the memories of the 3rd user".

It'll be a dreadful competition the more he thought about it. Likely when the festival began major anax ships across the seas of Ygdan would come to compete for the elder's blood. A prize that could change a person into a superhuman. 

Often when Anax hunters had caught an elder beasts they had to go through several procedures with the marines. It was the marines making sure the hunters wouldn't use it for their own gain, but to use it for the 'people'.

It was a long process but with the tournament going on and the big prize waiting to be claimed it would attract many hunters and fellow divisions to compete for it.

***

[2 days later: At the opening festival of Soldat]

"W-Woah haha, Look at that... Look how many distinguished travelers we have!" 

Standing by a stall a vendor took note of the amazing crowds of people that the festival had brought with it. There were many people dressed unique attires, coming from different parts of the worlds to see what Soldat had in store for them. 

The wide harbor stretching from the gulf of Soldat was more then hundreds of different ships cramped to each other. Ships sizing from brigs, ketches, galleons etc. 

Among the docking ships on their way to harbor was a smaller galleon. It's black flag onto its huge mast racing against the breezing wind of the sea.

"H-Hey! Isn't that the sentinel crew!" A person on the dock watching as the familiar ship came in sight.

"H-Holy! I'll be damned! This is the first time I have seen the sentinel ship!"

People started crowding at harbor once they recognized the sun sigil of the black sail. It had wooden reinforcement on its hull made to tolerate the impact of Leviathans, long metal bars reaching from the back to the bow of the ship used as extra protection. 

***

[Onboard the Sentinel ship]

"...Remember Darren, don't try anything funny while your here...". 

There was a rough edge to the voice speaking at the stern of the deck, old and manly was it too. 

Leaning into the railings of the fleet with his back facing the sea, Darren stood firmly with his arms crossed. 

The young man spoke with annoyance and disregard, shrugging at the man's remark. 

"Ah C'mon grandpa, I'm not a kid anymore... I know how to act"

His black/gold schemed mercenary attire was neatly tied and complimented his leaner figure with a long sword sheathed to his back. 

His hair light dark similar to the nights sky, two pairs of golden unique eyes that screamed royalty.

[Darren Verdanski: Hunter of the sentinel crew] 

"...Huh? So you, going around mingling with local girls never happened ever since you got onboard my ship?" 

The older gentleman remarked irritated, huffing and muttering under his breath. 

"...Don't be too mad, I know why your all grumpy today...". 

Darren looked at the approaching city before them, the calm waters drifting them closer by the second the taller watchtowers bearing the banners of the Soldat. 

Turning to his grandfather again his face softened yet held a stern eyes. T

"...You used hold a great position here... Until the incident...".

The older man turned to Darren, A man seemingly around his mid 40 wearing a captain's attire with the signature black/gold scheme of the Sentinel, and importantly the signature of the sentinel insignia.

 with subtle gray streaks across black messy hair. Holding a light beard that seemed perfectly cut he sure took time to care of it. As for his eyes they shined just as bright as the sun, a golden hue which seemed almost otherworldly. 

[Cain Verdanski: The legendary captain of the anax]

"The Incident was over two decades ago... There's no time to think about it".

Cain stood silently watching his ship closing in, remembering old memories that brought nothing but pain to his heart. 

With a sigh he turned back to his cabin at the stern raising his hand signing for the crew to prepare. 

"...Get ready to dock soon, we are special guests that were invited by the grandmaster herself... We have a long week ahead of us, prepare all the Leviathan parts we've hunted... I'll go greet the royal after we've docked...".

Darren watched as his grandfather disappeared into the cabin no longer to be seen. 

"Huff....".

He turned his attention back to the upcoming city before him. Darren had many expectations alongside with the rumors that many major fleets would come for the prize of the grand tournament.

"...I have a feeling that there will be many interesting figures soon" a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 

***

[Palace of Soldat] 

Lumine sat in her grandeur office room, writing and signing the towers of papers across her table. Her fingers starting to form blisters as she had been signing papers the last 3 days. 

Across from the desk, the doors opened. 

"...Grandmaster... We've got more papers to fill" Sarah said carrying another stack of papers almost reaching the ceiling. 

Lumine's gave up, groaning into her desk. Her head repeating hitting the wooden desk. 

"...This is what I hate about my position, this is making me crazy".

Sarah dropped the stack of papers on Lumine's desk.

--Thud!--

"...Its not that bad, You only need to do this every 5 years or so...".

Lumine raised her head. a red mark on her temple due to the constant bickering with herself.

"...The requests to enter Soldat's harbor has been nothing like I've ever seen before...". Lumine said with a sigh, rubbing her temple trying to ease the pain. 

"...Well, I think this year there's been more vessels come to compete in the tournament... that's why". Sarah remarked sitting down on the couch pouring herself warm tea.

--Sip--

"...Also, its the prize too... The elder's blood. That's why so many are competing this year. Its a prize that only appears once every decade...".

Lumine watched as Sarah continued to sip constantly in smaller portion. 

-Sip-

-Sip-

-Sip-

Lumine eyes just silently stared at Sarah, there were things she had in mind. 

"...The occurrence of the elder beasts have happened very often the last 2 decades, don't you think Sarah?" 

Sarah put her little cup down on the glass tray Infront of her. 

--Nod--

"Yes, there's been an unusual occurrence of them... Though I'm not the very ecological person to tell you why or how". 

Lumine leaned in to her desk, her fingers intertwined with each other. 

'I have spoken with Trevon and many of the other research scums, according to them the seas are constantly changing. And with every change a new Leviathan that comes to strike down the fleets'

'There's been reported 4 elder beasts only this decade alone and along with that, there was a secret 5th one... Solan' Lumine reminisced to herself still gazing at Sarah gluttony like state pouring herself more tea.

"...I have a very great feeling that Solan's appearance alone... has somehow changed the course of the seas... After all, he possess Pierre's death vessel...".