[Scene: Ryven's Main Ship | Captain's Quarters]
The tortoise buzzed again.
TRR-TRR. TRR-TRR.
Ryven growled.
He slammed his palm on the shell.
Ryven (frustrated):
> "Dammit—what now?"
He clicked it open, ready to scream.
> "I know you assholes got attacked! I'm coming! What do you want—backup? A hug?!"
But… this time, the voice wasn't panicked.
It was calm.
Quiet.
Ryven (confused):
> "…Hello?"
A voice answered. Cold. Clean. Unfazed.
Solis (from the other end):
> "It's us. Whisper's Light."
"We're waiting for you… in your forward ship."
Click.
The shell went dead.
Ryven stared at it.
A single bead of sweat slid down his temple.
It had barely been five minutes since the flares went up.
Thirty men. An entire frontline ship. Gone.
Ryven (low):
> "What in the Void are we dealing with?"
He slowly stood, eyes narrowing.
Behind him, his silver-haired companion sipped from a cup without a word.
---
[Scene: Aboard Whisper's Light | Upper Deck]
The air above the sea was electric — raw mana still shimmered faintly in the sky, like smoke after a firework.
Rhask stepped out from one of the side cabins, shirtless, yawning, one hand covering his mouth.
Rhask (groggy):
> "…What's with all the mana I'm sensing?"
He blinked toward the deck, where Kael was bouncing on his heels like a kid who just finished a game.
Kael (grinning):
> "Solis and I took their forward ship. You missed the warm-up."
Rhask (blank):
> "…So we go back now?"
Kael:
> "Nah. Apparently Ryven is on a different ship which is somewhere ahead."
Rhask (still chewing):
> "Huh."
He scratched his head, walked past Kael, and dropped onto a crate like it was nothing.
Rhask (muttering):
> "Next time wake me before you break the war."
Thud.
Solis landed lightly on the deck of Whisper's Light, not a drop of seawater on his body.
Solis (flat):
> "Well, then you don't have to sleep."
He looked straight at Rhask, the faintest edge of a grin curling his lips.
> "I climbed the mast of their forward ship before I jumped. Their main vessel's not far—closing in fast."
Rhask (smirking):
> "Now that's good news."
Solis ignored him, eyes shifting to Arjun, who stood silently, adjusting his bowstring under the fading sky.
Solis:
> "Arjun. Take position on their forward ship. Top of the wreck. If things go south, I want eyes and arrows up high."
Arjun (already moving):
> "Was going to anyway. That ship's deck stands higher than ours. Better view."
He vanished over the rail without another word, gliding across the water like a shadow.
Eron, nearby, hesitated — gaze flicking from Solis to Kael.
He opened his mouth to ask about injuries… but stopped.
They looked untouched. Not a scratch.
Still, his fingers twitched — a healer's instinct, always scanning for pain.
Rhask (teasing):
> "If your hands are that desperate to heal something… try using your magic on the enemies next time."
He chuckled, leaning back with his hands behind his head.
Eron (half-smiling, rubbing his neck):
> "You noticed?"
Kael (grinning):
> "Everyone noticed, doc."
Rhask (mock serious):
> "You were twitching like a squirrel near lightning."