The attack came fast, a sword filled with blinding light formed in the protagonist’s hand.

He stepped forward, too fast for the normal eye to see. The pirate didn’t get the chance to counter, it passed through the space between them and he dropped.

Another came from his side, a hammer bigger than himself raised above him. Caius slightly turned, the sword shifting slightly just enough to meet the attack.

Steel met steel and that was enough. The hammer was split cleanly in the middle taking the pirate with it.

"He’s improved," Atheline murmured from the deck," and became crueler."

More pirates boarded. They stopped trying to approach all at once and came in large numbers, six at a time trying to overwhelm him with numbers.

"They’re getting to him," Lilith said, as though commenting.

A chuckle left him before he could stop it.

She was right. The pirates overwhelming him with numbers seemed to be working well.

A pirate’s sword came slashing down; he raised his own parrying against it, but Caius stumbled, almost losing his footing.

Another slammed him from behind, and he turned halfway, using the momentum to swing his sword across, slicing through three of them.

"Okay, he still has a long way to go," he mumbled, noticing the mistakes he had been making.

At that moment the saintess, Yander, decided to intervene. She didn’t move immediately, but her gaze assessed the pirates who were coming and the ones who were dying.

Then darkness stirred in her hand followed by dark flames erupting.

Black fire curled along her fingers. The pirates noticed her involvement at the moment.

One lunged towards her, and she didn’t retreat but stepped forward. She raised her hand and the flames moved.

The tendrils of fire wrapped around the pirate’s weapon first, smoldering it before it could land then crawled up to him.

He hit the deck before the others could even register his body half-burnt. The flames trailed behind her, akin to a whip.

’That’s creative,’ the thought passed through his mind but he didn’t voice it out.

Another came from behind her, spear pointed at her back. She didn’t turn, the flames shifted lifting from the ground and caught him midstep.

It pulled him, just enough to break his balance and drag him into her range.

Her other hand moved, a subtle motion but it was enough. He was burnt to a crisp.

"That’s not normal fire is it?" He asked curiously.

She briefly glanced at him.

"It’s our holy fire," she said calmly, " only the chosen ones can wield it."

He frowned slightly.

"Are they born with it like normal elements or..."

"By birth," she muttered, "saintesses are chosen from birth. "

Her gaze returned to the fight, signalling the end of the conversation.

It seems Yander joining the fight might have rejuvenated Caius.

He stepped through the pirates like space itself belonged to him. Every time they thought they had him surrounded, he would slip away taking two or three lives with him.

The deck cleared faster than it should have. The last pirate hesitated just for a moment but that was enough, his body fell into the hungry sea.

The surrounding ships didn’t move any closer. A whole ship crew had easily been decimated and none of the other pirates were stupid enough to jump on the ship.

On the distant deck, Atheline exhaled quietly.

"They didn’t struggle at all," he said quietly.

He had expected some epic fight to fully gauge their strength but it seems the pirates had backed off after the first crew was annihilated.

"Bring us along," Lilith said quietly.

Before them, the pirate ship had already started to disperse since they never fully closed in.

The ship adjusted its course, cutting cleanly across the water towards the remaining two boats.

The space between the vessels started to narrow, close enough to see clearly.

On the other boat, the aftermath of the fight could be seen clearly. Bodies were already being dragged aside, the crew moving with experience.

It was probably not the first time the boat had been pirated.

At the centre of it all stood the Caius and the Yander surrounded by other passengers who seemed to be thanking them profusely.

Caius turned first, almost instinctively, as if he had already felt them approaching.

Their gaze locked immediately, then his expression changed.

"My lord!"

He called out as though he couldn’t believe they were meeting again. Atheline had ignored him the first time.

Atheline could see the genuine surprise and expectations in his gaze.

"It’s been long Caius, " Atheline said, a small curve on his lips.

Before anyone could react, Caius moved. A quick step onto the railings, then across the ocean as though the distance between the two ships meant nothing.

He landed cleanly on the deck, barely making a sound. Lilith slightly frowned at his overexcitement.

Caius straightened. He looked up at him again then grinned.

"I knew it," he said," I thought I had been hallucinating when we passed your ship but it seems I didn’t..."

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. His gaze moved to Lilith who had been standing a few steps from Atheline observing him.

He hurriedly bowed. Atheline didn’t miss the small trembling of his hand.

"It’s an honour to meet you your majesty," he calmly greeted.

"Stand straight, " she said, the disdain not hidden.

Caius looked towards Atheline as though looking for help from him.

He chuckled softly.

"Let me introduce you," he calmly said," this is Caius, the friend I mentioned to you about. He is the one chosen to wield light magic."

He said, letting his secrets out into the world without a care. It wasn’t like it was a secret meant to be hidden since he had already displayed it.

"Are you allowed to be out of the academy?" Atheline asked, turning to him arms crossed like an elder.

Caius chuckled awkwardly while rubbing the back of his neck.

"We have been sent on the end-of-the-month expedition."

His head tilted just lightly.

"What exactly?"