Chapter 1281 A Promise of Safety
Chapter 1281 A Promise of Safety
The threat came alongside thunder that shook the entire Levan Island. Facing such a threat were the soldiers sent by West Sourna, who were now frozen in both fear and confusion. The city was right before them, ready to be plundered and forced into submission.
On the ships near the shores, a man stood with a frown. His eyes were round and blue, with brown hair and a mustache that reached his chest. Hearing the words of the ominous figure, he was anything but happy.
"What should we do, commander?" asked his young assistant, a woman in her thirties. "I checked with the binoculars. He is indeed the infamous Arthur Silvera, bringer of doom!"
"There ain't such a thing, lass!" barked the commander with his mustache jumping on each side. "But if he is indeed the Ruler of Runera, infamous for his unmatched powers, then not even our empyrean can handle him."
"Then, what are we to do?" The assistant began to panic, pacing around the ship's deck. "East Sourna is about to be here, too. They might attack if we pick a fight with Arthur Netherborne."
"Pick a fight?" muttered the commander as he stared at the young man looking at them. His tone was cold, unforgiving, and confident. The young man's demeanor was enough for him to conclude that he was far from afraid. "Nonsense. But I will try to talk to him."
After those words, the commander used his force to fly higher into the sky. Arthur Netherborne remained hovering in place as the commander reached him. The two men met in the sky, and the crushing aura of the man left the commander sweating buckets.
"My name is Ahmed Mutaz, a commander of Sourna, sent here to conquer the Island of Levan." Ahmed introduced himself as the young man stared at him with confusion. "Can we negotiate?"
"Negotiate what, exactly? What have you come here to achieve?" Arthur was confused as he tilted his head a at Ahmed, his scarred eyes seemingly seeing the man. "Do you expect me to let you attack this city?"
"No, of course not. Although that would have been ideal, we don't wish for unnecessary bloodshed. Instead, I want you to let us take camp here."
"Fuck off, Ahmed whatever," spat Arthur Netherborne as his lightning flared from his body. Ahmed felt his face turn red as he found himself unable to face the man, so he opted to lower his gaze. "You have exactly ten minutes to get off this island. If you don't, I will be sinking your ships the next second."
Ahmed wanted to negotiate more, but Arthur was far from keen. If the commander was in his shoes, he wouldn't either. An ant came to negotiate to invade your home, so why would you let it?
"Please, we need more than that," said the commander as he raised his eyes. "I have a duty to bring these men home, safe and sound. Don't think about the men themselves, but their families."
"...You have an hour," answered Arthur, rather reasonably. Ahmed bowed in thanks and began retreating his troops, before he too returned to his ship.
As soon as he landed on the deck, the female assistant came rushing forward. "What are we to do, commander? Should we shoot the mana cannons?"
"What? Cannons?" The commander almost stumbled face-first into the ship as several veins popped on his head. "You want to fight THAT monster? Do you even have a brain?"
"Wha—" the woman was confused at his outburst, staggering back. "I thought you went to scare him away!"
"He was the one to scare me away, you brat!" Ahmed lost his temper as he waved his hands. "Call back every ship! No, every soldier! Everyone has to retreat out of this place or we won't make it back alive."
"But sir, what about East Sourna?"
"If East Sourna can defeat someone who fought off four empyreans alone, then they might as well conquer the entirety of our continent!" Ahmed laughed at her words. "Don't dilly-dally! Save our soldiers now!"
"Yessir!" shouted the assistant as she ran toward the communication arrays. Ahmed remained to look at the figure in the sky, wondering how the hell he managed to enter Sourna without their knowledge. This was huge news, as this man had a different name around the echelons of the world: The Anarchist!
His existence in Sourna was not a simple matter, as it threatened the very foundations of their nation. Arthur came at the worst time, too, since East and West Sourna were on the verge of a civil war!
The assistant ran back to him, and Ahmed turned to see her pale and sweaty. "Sir, we are—" she paused to take a breath. "We are surrounded by the Eastern Ships!"
"Fuck!" Ahmed cursed their fate. They came at the worst timing, and he doubted that Arthur Netherborne would help them. No, he would hold them accountable for their one-hour-retreat. If they failed to do that, then they would be annihilated from both sides!
"If the Eastern rebels know about Arthur being here, they will seek his aid. If that happens, then we can retreat all the way to the uncharted lands and still be unable to escape their joint attack," his assistant made an astute observation for the first time today.
"I have to go and talk to him again," said Ahmed while gritting his teeth. "As long as I can obtain a promise for a ceasefire, then he won't go back on it."
"What makes you believe he won't, commander?" asked the woman.
"Because powerful people have their pride. They don't resort to tricks and lies to win, as it is beneath them," after saying that, he turned to fly again toward Arthur. "Make the soldiers hasten their retreat."
Ahmed rose in the sky again, carried by his force. The thundering clouds almost sent him back to the ground but he endured as he approached the man again, who looked anything but patient. Arthur stared at him as if he was an annoying fly, and that was fine.
"What is it now?" asked Arthur with a frown. "If you came here for another round of negotiations, then I have to admit that Sourna has one persistent commander."
"I know better than to bite more than I can chew," said Ahmed as he wiped away the sweat on his forehead. "I need a guarantee that my soldiers will live."
"My word is the guarantee," affirmed Arthur in confusion, before a smile appeared on his face. Ahmed felt his blood run cold. "Oh, you are panicking about the fleet that appeared behind yours," the man noted. Ahmed shook with the realization that Arthur had already noticed. "Don't worry. I have no intention to interfere in your civil war, unless I see injustice. Go back to your masters with ease, Ahmed Mutaz. I will ensure your safety as you do."
Ahmed sighed in relief, feeling grateful for the man. Although his nickname was the Anarchist, Ahmed found him quite the understanding man. He did not wish for bloodshed, as the Wisemen believed. Instead, he advocated for peace.
After thanking the man and bidding him farewell, Ahmed and his soldiers retreated. He learned a hard lesson from today's events, and that was to be merciful. Arthur could have seen them as the enemy, killing them on the spot.
His soldiers retreated back to their ships, as the fleet of East Sourna approached. Ahmed was sitting on needles until the last soldier boarded the ship, and he commanded sail toward Hikma. It almost made him laugh that they came so hastily to beat East Sourna, but now were hastier to leave.
As their ships sailed away from Levan Island, the assistant came rushing with another ominous report. The Eastern Fleet was behind them, and within shooting range. The assistant almost fainted out of panic, making Ahmed curse her father who was a general and asked him to take her along.
"No one needs to worry," shouted Ahmed to everyone on the ship. "Let the other soldiers know that Arthur Netherborne promised us to leave safe and sound. So, even if the Eastern Fleet had any ideas, we wil—"
A deafening sound interrupted his words as lights shone from the Eastern Fleet. Ahmed snapped his neck in their direction, realizing that they were under attack. "Activate the shields!" he roared, not letting his belief in their safety prevent him from making the logical decision.
A barrier appeared around the ships at the same time as the mana beams came tearing through the waters. Vapor rose from the ocean as it clouded their vision. Ahmed gritted his teeth as he saw the mana beams moments from slicing through their ships.
"Dammit, Arthur Netherborne, you promised!"
As if hearing his lamenting words, black beams flashed from the sky. The colorless light tore through the waters around their ships, erecting a barrier atop their own. The mana beams slammed the black barrier and dissipated instantly.
Ahmed stood there with a gaping mouth as did the rest of the soldiers. A figure descended from the sky, standing between the Western and Eastern Fleets.
"People of East Sourna," began the figure once again, repeating the same words that he told them. "My name is Arthur Netherborne, and I declare that no war will take place today, not on Levan Island, nor the ocean it surveys. Turn back and leave, or your fate will be... sealed."