Leviathan Hunter

[Trigger warning: Describing a child's death]

-Soldat has always stayed as the marine's headquarters for centuries. Founded by the first emperor of Daimon, Soldat in itself serves as a port for travelling mercenaries. it was strictly forbidden for Anax hunter to stay due to the 5th law of soldat. "Anax hunters are not allowed into the coast unless they have a letter with the authentic sigil-mark of the master.

Solan stood by the marine's private dock. Staring deeply into the far horizon.

"...."

The loud grunting of men working their asses of carrying cargo and supplies into the ship. The sky was clear and blue, seagulls flying in a school around the reinforced galleon. The Sun was at its peak, adding more heat to the already sweaty weather. 

"What are you thinking of?" A familiar voice spoke up. 

Solan turned around his head slowly to see his master Sarah wearing the same white-admiral attire with a few silver plated armor across her body. 

"...Our enemies are out there right?" Pointing out at the faraway horizon. 

Sarah gazed to the direction he was pointing at. Solan could be very odd at times

"Yes, our enemies...". she said.

Solan kept staring into the faraway sea before she pinched his cheek.

"O-Ouch?!" He groaned. 

"Get ready, we're setting sail soon....".

The only reason I am here is because I owe my life to Sarah and Katama wherever that guy was. Solan got up, stretching up and taking a look on his jade dagger. 

"...Father... I can never forgive you for dying in the hands of a leviathan... but nor can I forgive myself for teaming with the marines... I know how much you hate them, but I will do whatever I can to exterminate the beasts...".

"Hey Solan? you thinking again?" as someone lightly hit his head.

It was one Sarah's subordinate, a big bulky guy with balding hair. 

"Them Leviathans will eat you up if you keep gazing at the sea". He laughed hysterically, his spit getting everywhere.

Solan decided to continue onward the ship before he would have swim in a pond of saliva.

***

-Whoosh- 

"Ahh-!"

Solan shouted out, bouncing back from Sarah's parry. Standing middle of deck going through the usual routine while some of the members were watching in the background with some chuckling and giggling. 

"The spear is too hard..".

Solan muttered, his body felt like it was breaking down, the sweat dripping constantly from his face and his chest hurting from being constantly hit there. 

"The spear is easy, its just you who has yet to keep growing... Right now we're just laying the fundamental for your future practice... you'll get used to it in no time...". she explained before throwing a dry towel to him. 

"Go wash yourself... It'll be one week travel to Smokey... I've already had enough of the stench that guys make...". Referring to the crew working behind her. 

Solan went down deck to his cabin, a middle sized room with a bed enough to fit two people. The white clean walls with the wooden flooring made the interior look luxurious. Being the disciple of a wealthy admiral sure came life good. 

***

After a short wash Solan got changed and looked himself in the body mirror. Taking a good look a surge of memories went through his head, remembering how he had been swallowed by the same beast that ended his father's life. 

Taking out necklace with the small family photo of his late father and mother he thought to himself.

"....I wonder what you'd say to me if you saw me now dad....".

He fell onto the bed with his back first letting exhaling with a tiresome expression looking up to the ceiling. The bed felt heavenly, like laying amongst the clouds. One could sleep for a hundred years if they didn't have plans for their life.

He got up from the bed, wanting to try something out. 

He walked over to one of the shelves where he had put his jade dagger and once in hand he tried using his vessel on it.

Focusing everything he could to imbued it with his power. It was going maniac at first but started calming down when he thought of the sea.

The jade dagger glowed in a calm sea-green color and it looked mesmerizing. Lost in thought he kept staring at the dagger, Solan really appreciated beautiful things.

-Pang-

A sudden headache went through Solan's head, it felt awful and to make it worse those damn echoes started appearing again.

"Help us...."

"...Just what is it now" his voice laced with irritation.

Solan groaned trying to hold himself together, he could barely stand up. His head felt dizzy and his vision was turning blurry. It felt like his body was breaking down in real time and before he knew it his eyes closed and everything turned dark. 

***

Opening up his eyes, he found himself in a small green garden... Behind him a small village house. The sky shining clear blue and the sun at its peak.Looking at his own hands he could go through his own body... he was in the form of a phantom. Checking the pond across the garden his reflection was nowhere to be seen.

"...Where am I?" 

"Dad!"

the cheerful voice of a little girl come into view. A little girl with a face covered in a dark silhouette making Solan unable to catch a glimpse of her face.

"How's my most favorite girl doing!"

Another voice appeared this time a more manlier and rougher one. A tall towering man, wearing clothes that seemed to be roughed up, the long black coat with many brown belts of equipment. It gave Solan the hint of his occupation... an Anax hunter.

Solan stayed silently surveying the scene before him. 

Solan took note about the man's attire, on his chest there was a silver badge of two swords clashing. 

"....I've seen that badge before....": Solan muttered to himself. 

The older man hugged his apparent daughter lifting her up.

"How did the hunt go dad!" she asked cheerfully resting in her dad's arms.

"..He-he, It went as usual, we suffered a bit damage and some injured... but this time we caught a rare leviathan!" 

"A rare leviathan!? Woah! what kind!" She asked amazed. 

"...The kinda leviathan you only hear in myths!" 

Solan looked around. The village house was on top of a hill, to his right was a huge town overlooking the sea and to his right was just a long plain and mountains at the end of it.

"...What is it you want to show me....": Solan asked. He knew there were some kind of greater force intentionally showing him this. 

Next moment the scene changed drastically, finding himself in the same place except the sky was red, the smell of smoke and... the screams of people in the far distant.

Turning towards town, the buildings in the distance was burning, gray smoke covering the sky and the familiar scent of blood passed through his nose.

Solan heard a subtle rustle coming from behind, turning his gaze towards it the same man from before was slowly carrying... his lifeless daughter into a grave. 

"....I'm sorry.... I couldn't protect you...".

His voice was filled with sorrow and sobbing. 

Gently placing her in the grave getting one last look.

"....Those beasts... Its all their fault.....". He stood up, clenching his hand as a huge visible vein appeared.

"...I will kill them all.... Each one of them, this is all their fault to begin with.... damn marine!". he slammed the ground, causing a cracks on the ground. 

He turned Solan, approaching him and going straight through him. Solan was a bit startled but remembered that this was only a memory to begin with.

"This is the marines fault?" Solan questioned.

Next moment the man started running off towards the burning town, everything turning black around Solan. He was floating within an abyss of darkness.

"...Is this not the end? what else do you want to show me-". Before he could even finish a sentence he was cut off by a surge of memories flowing inside of his head.

"DIE!" "I killed 78-" "Stop it! your unstable sir-!" "T-This guy's a monster" "...The voices are controlling you-!" "I'll help you kill those marines-".

Repeatedly thousands... No tens of thousands memories was flowing inside of Solan's head within seconds. 

"A-Arghh!" Solan groaned in immense pain, it felt like his body was disintegrating from existence the amount of unknown memories going in his head he could see everything and feel everything.

Solan's eyes snapped open, his body shaking and his heart pounding fast. 

"Ah? Your awake Solan... You fainted on the ground, what happened-". 

Solan rushed to her and hugged her, his head reaching up to her lower chest. 

"S-Solan?-" She could hear him crying and sobbing, he was hugging her hard enough for her to understand that he needed it.

"...This boy... He's terrified....". she thought to herself. her face softened before hugging him back.

"...Kids will be kids after all...".