Red mist started floating up from the deck, way thicker than Raven usually made. Unlike his normal thin, wispy blood mist, this stuff moved with purpose, forming weird symbols—the same kind his blood made when it touched seawater.
The crew backed away, making a big circle. Hark stood protectively near Captain Kells with his hand on his sword, while Nelle crept closer than everyone else, her strange eyes reflecting the red glow.
Raven felt it draining him right away—his magic energy dropping faster than normal. But something else was happening too: he felt more connected to the magic, like the ocean was helping him out.
The voice in his head guided his movements, suggesting little adjustments that made everything work better.
The mist came together, forming a huge armored figure—the Death Knight, but different now. On land, it had been a pretty cool black-armored warrior surrounded by shadows.
But here, by the water, it stood almost twelve feet tall! Its armor had glowing symbols that moved around, and now showed red pulses that matched Raven's heartbeat. It even had this weird mist cloak that moved gracefully despite the howling wind.
"Master," the Death Knight said, its voice super deep and powerful, so loud it even quieted the storm for a second. "Your command?"
Raven just stared, shocked at how much stronger it was. This was way beyond what he could normally do. His magic energy was dropping fast, but the power it created was much greater.
HP 120/120 | MP 65/90
"By the emperor's blood," Kells whispered, approaching carefully. Her cloudy eye pulsed as she studied the Death Knight. "True Bloodcraft. Not the watered-down version they teach beginners." She looked at Raven. "Now I see why everyone wants this power."
Adrian looked both fascinated and worried. "Raven, your psyche energy—"
"I know," Raven cut him off. "But we don't have other options." He turned to the Death Knight. "Find the Hydor-arts users controlling this storm. Stop them from casting spells. Don't kill them, just disable them."
"As you wish." The Death Knight sounded eager. It jumped from the ship and somehow landed on the water without sinking. Where its feet touched, the crazy waves calmed briefly before churning again.
The summon moved across the water like a shadow, quickly approaching the first target Raven could sense—a figure barely visible through the rain, standing on a column of water. The Death Knight attacked so fast they could barely see what happened, but the water column collapsed and the figure fell into the sea.
"How long can you keep this up?" Adrian asked quietly.
"Not as long as on land," Raven admitted, feeling the steady drain. "The water makes everything more powerful but less efficient."
HP 120/120 | MP 60/90
Kells looked at him with new respect. "Bloodcraft," she said, shaking her head. "The king of all forbidden magic. Not just because of its power, but because of what it reveals about all other arts. Blood remembers what the empire tries to make us forget."
As the Death Knight fought a second Hydor art user, the storm began to weaken. Lightning still flashed, but the waves weren't as high, and the wind wasn't as strong.
Then Raven noticed something weird. His blood was acting strange—small droplets rising from his skin without him commanding it, hovering around him before going back in.
When seawater splashed on deck, it rippled in patterns matching his blood's movement. Even stranger, when a drop of his blood fell onto the wet deck, it formed a tiny, perfect symbol before sinking into the wood.
It recognizes the ancient patterns, the voice in his head said. The sea remembers what blood can do.
"Something's changing," Adrian said, staring at the horizon. "They're regrouping."
Raven looked where Adrian was pointing. The storm was calming down, but not because they were winning. He could feel the five magical signatures coming together, heading straight for the ship.
"They're coming now," Raven said, feeling dizzy as his magic continued draining.
HP 120/120 | MP 50/90
"Bring back your summon," Kells said sharply. "We need it here, and you need to save your energy."
Before Raven could respond, he saw his reflection in a puddle of seawater. He froze. While he stood completely still, his reflection moved on its own—leaning forward with a hungry smile that wasn't his.
Let me out, the reflection mouthed silently. Let me fight them. They're here for me.
Raven jumped back from the puddle, heart racing. These weird reflection moments were happening more often and getting more intense.
What started as quick glimpses had turned into actual communication. Worse, part of him wanted to accept the offer—to let the original Raven Blackwood take control and use all that experience he didn't have.
"Raven?" Adrian had noticed something was wrong. "What's up?"
Before he could answer, his right hand moved by itself, fingers twisting into a position he'd never used before. Blood leaked from his fingertips, making a complex symbol in the air.
They're coming for me, the voice in his head demanded, no longer whispering but shouting. I know how to fight them. I've done it before.
With effort, Raven regained control of his hand. "It's nothing," he told Adrian, though they both knew he was lying.
The Death Knight returned to the ship, moving slower now as Raven's magic continued dropping. It landed with a heavy thud that made the ship creak.
"Two disabled," it reported, sounding weirdly eager. "Three approach. They have artifacts against your blood magic, Master."
"Artifacts?" Raven looked to Adrian, whose face darkened.
"Blood countering tools," he explained. "Rare items specifically designed to block Bloodcraft."
Nelle had snuck up behind them. "Those who hunt the blood must carry protection from it," she said, her strange eyes fixed on Raven. "The crows who seek the raven must beware his talons."
Hark pulled her back with a growl. "Keep your weird comments to yourself, girl."
Captain Kells silenced them both with a sharp gesture. "They're here."
Five figures appeared on the horizon, gliding across the water's surface. As they got closer, Raven could see they wore bone-white masks carved with symbols, their bodies wrapped in black clothes that seemed to repel water.
Raven's blood reacted strongly to them, surging beneath his skin like it recognized an old enemy. Without thinking, his hand formed another symbol—a defensive move he somehow knew but had never learned.
Let me handle this, the voice demanded. *
These are my enemies, not yours.
The figures surrounded the ship, maintaining perfect positions despite the waves. Everyone just stared at each other for a moment.
Then the Death Knight stepped forward protectively. "They bear the mark of the Order," it rumbled.
"The Order of Death," Raven said automatically, the knowledge coming from somewhere deep inside him.
Adrian's head snapped toward him, eyes wide with shock. "How did you—?"
"See their masks," Raven replied, pointing to the symbols carved into them. He recognized them perfectly despite never having seen them before—at least, not in this lifetime.
The leader of the masked figures jumped onto the ship's railing with impossible grace. Water slid off their black clothes without soaking in.
"Adrian Thorne," the figure spoke, voice distorted. "You know what happens to those who betray the Order, right?"
Adrian's face hardened, but Raven could tell he was scared.
The masked figure turned toward Raven, tilting their head curiously. "And you, Raven Blackwood. I'm impressed. You've grown stronger since we last met."
This confirmed what Raven suspected—the original Raven had history with these people. His reflection appeared again, this time in the ship's metal bell, silently screaming at him.
LET ME OUT! They'll kill us all if you don't!
Raven struggled to stay in control even as memories that weren't his flashed through his mind—previous fights, special techniques, knowledge about these enemies' weaknesses. His magic energy kept dropping as the Death Knight drained his reserves.
HP 120/120 | MP 45/90
Captain Kells moved next to Raven, speaking quietly but urgently. "Whatever beef you have with the Order of Death, now isn't the time. We're still drifting toward Calonian waters, and if their navy catches us with a Blood Seeker on board, we're all dead."
Raven nodded and faced the masked leader. "Why are you following us? What do you want?"
The figure balanced perfectly on the railing despite the ship's movement. "What we've always wanted, Blackwood. What the Order has sought since day one." They slowly removed their mask, revealing a face covered with ritual scars that traced the paths of blood vessels, with old burn marks on one side.
"The preservation of balance," the now-unmasked woman continued. "And right now, that means stopping the Shadow Queen from getting 'Whispers of Shadow.' Something I believe we both want."