Chapter 67 – Explosive Convergence

As the trio watched Thane disappear into the forest, the air around them grew still. Shawn felt a sudden, sharp vibration in his hand, drawing their attention to the fragment he held. The fragment began to pulse, emitting a faint hum. Dark blue smoke emerged, swirling from Shawn’s hand and snaking upward, encircling the fragment like a living force. The fragment lifted into the air, hovering above his palm, and began to rotate slowly in the dark blue smoke.

Selena and Makara exchanged worried glances. Memories of their last encounter with the fragments flashed in their minds, where Shawn had been rendered unconscious for hours. Selena stepped forward, her voice laced with urgency.

“What are you doing? Stop that!” her eyes narrowing with concern.

Shawn, his face contorted with effort, struggled to steady himself. “I’m not doing anything!” he shot back, his tone strained. “It’s acting on its own!” He grabbed his wrist with his free hand, attempting to pull it down, but the invisible force was too strong, and his hand was immovable.

Within moments, two other fragments—stored within Shawn—began to emerge from the dark blue smoke. First, the hilt with a broken fragment appeared, followed by a medium-length fragment with jagged edges that took shape and circled with the newly acquired fragment. All three pieces floated together, encased in a halo of swirling dark blue smoke.

Makara stepped back instinctively, muttering under his breath, “This doesn’t look good…” Selena stood her ground, gripping the spear in her hand tightly, her sharp gaze darting between Shawn and the fragments.

Shawn grunted, his voice strained. “I… can’t… control it!”

The fragments are moving in their phase, their erratic movements gradually aligning themselves. The trio watched in tense silence as the shards slowly arranged themselves into a straight line. Selena’s eyes widened, realisation dawning.

“They’re trying to fuse!” she exclaimed, stepping closer.

The fragments inched toward each other, the edges glowing faintly as they prepared to merge. But just as the all piece moved into place, an explosive shockwave burst forth, sending all three companions—and the owl—crashing to the sandy beach.

The impact knocked the wind out of them. Selena rolled onto her side, coughing as she tried to catch her breath. “What the hell was that?” she snapped, her voice edged with frustration.

Makara groaned, sitting up and brushing sand from his face. “At least, there was no explosion last time,” he said, shaking his head. The owl stood up, extended its drenched wings and let out a screech.

Before they could react further, the fragments, now scattered on the beach from the explosion. Dark blue smoke seeped out of Shawn, snaking across the sand to touch each fragment. The shards shimmered and dissolved into the smoke, and dissipated into the air.

Shawn sat up abruptly, clutching his chest as the fragments’ resonance pulsed deep within him. His eyes widened when he realised they had returned inside. Staggering to his feet, he closed his eyes—and a vision flashed before him, revealing the location of the final piece.

“The last fragment…,” he muttered, awe and disbelief in his voice. Then, with steadier resolve, he added, “…it’s to the north.”

Makara stretched, his muscles still sore from the shockwave. “Great. Let’s not waste any more time. We’ve only one day before the war starts,” but their enthusiasm was quickly dampened as they turned to their owl companion. Its feathers were soaked, rendering it unable to take flight. The creature flapped its wings weakly, droplets of water scattering around it.

Makara frowned. “Looks like we’re grounded for a while. It can’t fly anywhere until it dries off.”

As if mocking their predicament, the sky darkened, and rain began to fall in heavy sheets. Selena groaned, glancing at the owl. “So much for quick progress.”

Spotting a nearby cave along the rocky coastline, they made their way to its shelter. Once inside, Makara gathered some driftwood and sparked a fire. The flickering flames bathed the cave in a warm glow, providing some respite from the cold rain outside.

The trio settled around the fire, their thoughts drifting to the battles they had endured. As the adrenaline of the fight ebbed away, a quiet reflection took its place. Makara leaned back against the cave wall, lifting his old gourd to take a slow drink of sake before letting himself rest. Outside, the rain continued to pour.

Makara was fast asleep, his heavy breathing blending with the rhythmic patter of rain against the rocks outside the cave. Shawn and Selena sat near the crackling fire, the orange glow casting long shadows on the damp cave walls. The air was heavy with the scent of wet earth and burning wood.

Shawn leaned forward, poking at the fire with a stick. “What do you think is up north?” he asked, his tone both curious and apprehensive.

Selena thought for a moment, her eyes reflecting the flames, then she took a stick and started drawing on the sand floor, and Shawn leaned forward to notice that. “North of here, located one of the biggest trade cities, ‘Reyadath’ in the Eastern region and further north, there’s a great canyon of plain field,” she began, her voice soft. “The terrain is rough, scattered with uneven patches and jagged ledges. Beyond that lies ‘Mount Elysian’—a range of snow-covered peaks that stretches endlessly into the sky. It’s treacherous, barren…”

Shawn tilted his head.

“Mount Elysian extend from the north and drifts down south, forming the natural barrier wall between the eastern and western regions,” she confirmed, her gaze distant.

“Well, the fragments are resonating toward that direction,” Shawn finished, nodding “We’ll know once we travel.”

Silence fell between them, broken only by the crackling fire and the occasional rumble of thunder in the distance. The rain outside had grown heavier, its relentless downpour forming small streams that flowed down the beach.

After a while, Selena broke the quiet. Her voice was hesitant, almost reluctant. “Shawn… when you faced Prince Enthril in his beast form… were you scared?”

Shawn looked at her, his expression serious. “Yes,” he admitted after a moment. “I was terrified. He was… overwhelming, like a force of nature. But something inside me—something I can’t explain—gave me the confidence to stand my ground. Maybe it’s due to my guardian power.”

Selena nodded. Then Shawn said to her, “How’s your ankle?”

Selena replied, “Yeah, it is fine now, as I used the oceans’ essences to heal me.”

Shawn raised an eyebrow at her, surprised by the answer. “ Is it your Bloodline power?”

Selena replied, “No, it is not my bloodline power, but we Atlanteans can use the oceans’ essences to do wonders.”

Shawn continued to question her as he was curious, “Do you have a bloodline power like Prince Enthril?”

Selena’s gaze dropped to the fire. “Yes. I do,” she said, her voice barely audible. “But it’s… useless. Nothing like what my brother or my father possesses. That’s why I was kept safe, locked behind the walls of the Atlantis palace. To them, I was just…” She paused, exhaling sharply. “A delicate pearl that needed protection.”

She allowed herself a small smile with pride. “But I refused to be just a pearl. That’s why I trained in secret under General Kelathor without my father’s knowledge.” Her eyes flicked to Shawn, a spark of determination in their depths.

By now, the rain had intensified, accompanied by violent waves crashing against the shore. Thunder roared overhead, and flashes of lightning illuminated the cave’s entrance. The air was damp and cold, but the fire kept the trio and the owl warm.

Shawn glanced at Makara, who was still snoring softly, his arms crossed over his chest. “The rain is not slowing down. We should rest too, while we can,” he suggested.

Selena nodded in agreement, and the two settled down near the fire. The relentless storm outside added to the unease, but the crackling flames provided a fragile sense of comfort. Shawn closed his eyes, his body heavy with exhaustion, and soon drifted into a fitful sleep.

The calm within the cave was a stark contrast to the violent storm raging outside. Yet Shawn’s mind started to drift into a dream, and his dreams were influenced by the fragments resonating with his guardian power.

In his dreams, he found himself standing in the middle of a battlefield. His body was different—older, stronger, clothed in a tattered warrior’s outfit stained with blood and ash. In his hand, he gripped the complete version of the sword of the broken fragments that was stored inside him,  the sword’s sharp edges gleaming faintly under a fiery sky. Around him lay countless bodies, the air thick with smoke and the scent of death.

Shawn’s gaze dropped to the sword, and he caught his reflection in its blade. But it wasn’t his face staring back at him—it was someone else.

‘This isn’t me,’ Shawn thought, his heartbeat quickening, then he recognised the sword by glancing at its hilt. ‘This sword…, it is King Azure’s sword, then this might be...’

Before he could process the realisation, a figure began to emerge from the haze. It was blurred, its features obscured, but one detail stood out—a long, slender sword held tightly in its grasp.

The figure moved closer, each step deliberate. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was upon him, swinging its sword with terrifying speed. Shawn barely managed to raise his weapon in defence, the clash of blades sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.

Their swords danced in a deadly rhythm, each strike accompanied by bursts of energy that tore through the ground and scattered debris. But the figure was faster, stronger, relentless in its assault.

Shawn struggled to keep up, his movements growing sluggish under the onslaught. The figure raised its sword high, bringing it down with a force that Shawn barely countered by holding his sword above. The impact drove him to his knees, his arms trembling under the strain.

Then, with unnerving swiftness, the figure retracted and swung upward, its blade cutting through Shawn’s armour and into his chest. Pain exploded through him as he was hurled backwards, crashing into the ground amidst the carnage.

Through the upward swing, the sword in Shawn’s hand shattered into four fragments, each piece falling before him. The figure loomed over him, its sword poised for a final strike.

And Shawn woke with a gasp, drenched in sweat.

Selena and Makara were immediately at his side, their faces etched with concern. “Are you alright?” Selena asked, her voice soft but urgent.

“You were grunting in your sleep,” Makara added, his brow furrowed.

Shawn rubbed his chest, the phantom pain of the dream still lingering. “It was… just a nightmare,” he muttered, though the vividness of it left him shaken.

Selena’s gaze lingered on him, as if trying to read his thoughts. “Are you sure?” she pressed.

“Yes,” Shawn insisted, though his voice betrayed a hint of doubt. “I’m fine.”

Outside, the rain at last began to ease, leaving the world drenched and still. The storm clouds slowly parted, unveiling a full, luminous moon that cast a silver glow across the ocean’s surface. The waves, calmer now, still whispered of the tempest’s fury. The sun had long since vanished.

Shawn stood near the cave’s entrance, his gaze fixed on the silent ocean. His thoughts lingered on the vivid dream that had shaken him. ‘I think I was in King Azure’s body… and that figure I fought…’ The fragmented memory gnawed at him, but his thoughts were interrupted by Makara’s putting his hands over his shoulder and his voice, casual yet firm. “Well, the rain’s stopped, and the owl’s dried off and rested.”

Nearby, Selena’s owl let out a low, melodic cry and spread its massive wings, shaking off the dampness. Makara gestured toward it. “We should get moving. Time’s not exactly on our side.”

Selena and Shawn nodded. They stepped out of the cave, the cool night air brushing against their faces, and the remnants of the storm hung in the air.

The trio climbed onto the owl’s back, its feathers sleek and shimmering under the moonlight. With a powerful leap and a beat of its wings, the owl ascended into the sky. As they soared higher, Shawn couldn’t resist looking back. Below them, the ruined palace, along with the pieces of the massive boulder where they had clashed with Prince Enthril, lay half-submerged in the ocean. The once-majestic structure was now a silent graveyard, the waves lapping at its broken walls.

Selena followed his gaze but then turned her eyes forward. “North,” she said softly, with Makara raising his gourd and adding, “Yes, towards North.”