Vandall and his group moved forward.
"But where will we find him?" one of the mercenaries asked his leader.
Canaria answered:
"Good question..."
The river was not far, and Bismarck was watching from the far bank.
"We know he is alone here, and he cannot escape a large group. I wanted to send some of you to Vanguard's group, but we have no time to coordinate," Canaria continued explaining.
"So we will take things one step at a time."
"Hmm.." Kidman intervened.
"Yes, that's much better. Splitting up now is not a good idea. Also, the opponent is just one person. The faster we eliminate him or neutralize the dan-"
But Kidman did not see the rock falling on him with screaming rage, piercing the darkness at high speed.
Kidman and part of the group were crushed in a sudden strike. Bismarck had saved them the trouble of searching.
"I am here... he is here... let's dance the eternal dance..."
It seemed the man had completely lost his mind، he was swallowed by rage.
Canaria didn't even think of giving him a chance to celebrate.
She threw the hammer, "The Morning Star," toward a group of rocks by the river with all her might. The impact created a bright spark from its intensity.
Rocks shattered everywhere, but Bismarck was in the river, hiding. He had stripped off all his clothes, his eyes closed, waiting.
Canaria launched like an arrow, taking a path on the right side of the group followed by some men, while Vandall and Rico moved with others behind them.
"What was that??" Vandall analyzed, his mind spinning fast.
Rocks flew by the river left and right. Everyone tried to avoid the rocks, some survived. Some lost limbs or broke bones, and some fell forever.
Even Canaria didn't understand what she was seeing.
"What is this ability ?! I don't understand anything..!" Canaria's expression did not look good.
Bismarck finally emerged from under the water, but his lower half was still in the river.
"Under this quiet moon... what a shame..."
He felt sad, his eyes looking at the moon.
"A night like this... is not a night for death and killing."
He looked back at the two groups preparing for him.
"...But... these people must be removed."
He gathered some water around his right fist.
"I promise you, Moon... if I live through a night like this, I will live it to the fullest."
A roaring flood struck near Vandall. A ringing hit Vandall's ears, and a shiver went through his body. The same thing was happening again.
If not for his self-control, he would have been among the drowned.
Vandall's eyes widened at the scale of destruction. The density and momentum of the water were so great that it pierced the ground, leaving a massive trail behind.
Vandall saw the horror of this raging power. Men were crushed. Those in the back survived, coughing and spitting out water, rolling in the mud and the bloody water from the other corpses.
"Vandall?! Ricooooo!!!?" Canaria screamed.
"We're fine! But we lost men!" Vandall replied. He was still staggering, but he answered his leader.
Canaria lamented:
"We must split up. Everyone, scatter!!" The soldiers and mercenaries obeyed her orders.
"Fine... good idea, you mercenary bitch. But..."
Waves crashed violently against the rocks and soil at the river's edge.
"I have more..."
Rocks and heavy mud struck everything in their path. Everyone maneuvered, escaping the attack.
Under the eyes of the boy whose thoughts were overlapping and mixed together...
Vandall noticed the rush of water striking the rocks.
He thought, "..so... he doesn't throw the rocks. He strikes them."
Canaria dropped to the ground next to a mercenary carrying Rodeln.
"...If I target him with my Grace, he will make me his target." Canaria was also in a mental mess, taking cover so as not to be an easy target. Everyone followed her lead.
"...What is the solution... what is the solution!!?" Canaria was exhausting all her analytical skills.
It seemed Bismarck owned the entire field.
His smile said so. His naked upper body said so.
Even his shouting:
"Show yourself, Lady Canaria Lombardian!! Show yourself!! Where are you!"
He bragged, showing his bare chest and wide-open arms.
"Where is your Grace, Canaria!! Huh?! Where is your 'Bullseye'.. where is that cursed power!"
Silence dominated the place, except for his voice. It was as if he were talking to himself.
"Canariaaaaa! Do you hear me?! I am here!! An easy target for your ability ! If you hit the target of your throw accurately, the impact doubles, doesn't it?! I am here!! Come on... come on!!!"
Canaria remained quiet; she didn't fall into his trap.
Her silence provoked him.
"Tch... fine... no matter."
The water shook around him.
"The sky above them is the moon!"
With bitterness and rage, Bismarck ordered the river water, which exploded in similar anger toward the sky, rising above them. The volume of water was massive, so much that it emptied a large part of the river. It was as if the entire river changed its path toward the sky.
The sight of the water rising like this was terrifying. All eyes watching forgot what would happen to them and stared at this great event, this massive power. Everyone, without exception, forgot their thoughts and were captured by the beauty of the water climbing the sky above them.
"...We have no power against something like this."
"...We thought we surrounded him, but he is the one who did it."
"...My God... it seems I will die satisfied."
"...I wish I hadn't left the camp."
Mixed thoughts and feelings went through the minds of the men looking at the sky, which was dripping bit by bit.
The river stopped rising. It returned to its course immediately. The last amount of water rose toward the sky, and as soon as it reached the floating mass there, the entire mass collapsed at once. It fell on them with its weight the sound of impact alone was beyond insane, but as for the impact, it was merciless, crushing some and drowning others. Chaos spread among everyone. The water receded and withdrew gradually toward the river. Everyone was in chaos and shambles, coughing, disoriented, and exhausted. This was only for those who miraculously survived the shock. As for those who were crushed, they were likely luckier.
Bismarck emerged completely from the water, dripping by the riverbank.
"Well... tell me when you are ready for another attempt."
Bismarck bragged about his nearing victory, and he had the right to brag.
Vandall was exhausted. He had fought the whole day and was still fighting. He was truly fit and didn't tire easily, but this was beyond his limit.
"...But.." Vandall thought. He couldn't stop his mind from thinking.
"...But.." this word always circled in his mind.
He looked toward the sky with empty eyes, his mouth open to breathe faster.
His eyes looked toward the sky, where water was accumulating again.
"..Ah.." Vandall thought. "..He's doing it again."
Vandall heard Bismarck's words, mocking words. He knew it was mockery, but he couldn't hear clearly because of the water in his ears.
"..Shut up and end it," Vandall answered Bismarck in his mind.
"...But.." the word still haunted Vandall.
"...What about the shiver that hit me when I fought you... what about the feeling I get when your attack approaches... or even that feeling when your fallen friend attacked us."
The thoughts still haunted him.
"Wait... wasn't that the same feeling?!"
He closed his eyes.
"Sorry, Canaria. It seems I drowned my mind in thoughts. Well... I am all drowning." He opened his eyes and checked on Canaria.
Canaria stood up and threw everything she could at Bismarck.
Bismarck dodged her throws and moved away from her range.
"..Hmm?! Why did she reveal herself to him?" Vandall was confused. He couldn't even see the situation clearly. "Then why is he dodging and not attacking her?"
Even in this chaos, Vandall analyzed. All these details spun in his mind... until...
"Wait.." his eyes widened as if they had returned to life.
"Could it be..?!"
Canaria was in a similar state of chaos. Her throws were random and inaccurate, easy for Bismarck to dodge.
"Could it be that she understood it?" he thought angrily.
Canaria thought to herself, just as Vandall thought:
"The moon... control of liquids... one attack at a time... the water retreating after reaching its goal."
There was a matchless agreement between the boy and his teacher.
"It must be so. No doubt. Your power is... The Tide."
Vandall fainted the instant he realized Bismarck's power. Or at least, his body fainted, because Vandall's consciousness was still awake.
But he was awake in a place with no life, no things, and no one.
"..Huh.. what is this..!?" He wondered about the blackness around him. "..Did I die?"
Total darkness with no end and no beginning. But there was a blue light a bit further away. "..What is that?! Where am I?!"
He couldn't even see himself, his hands, or the rest of his body. He didn't feel up or down, nor his weight or gravity.
But there was a voice he could hear,a distant voice. He tried to calm down to listen to it.
"..The Gift.."
"..He is among the chosen..!"
".. please sir.. I beg you.. would you return my Grace to me..!?"
Strange, different voices.
Snapping of fingers... repeating.
Screams full of fear.
"Stay away!!?"
"It is the owner of the Gift !!"
Sentences and words mixed together.
Moving away, then coming closer.
They grew louder, becoming chaos and noise.
The voices increased and overlapped to the point that Vandall screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed with the loud voices.
Until...
Silence.
Total silence.
Then...
A clear, calm voice. A voice containing the voices of thousands speaking in one organized, disciplined tone.
"The terms have been met."
Total silence. A dark silence close to the silence of the surrounding darkness, except for a hum coming from that blue light.
"Term..?! Terms for what?"
"The terms have been met," in the same tone.
"What do I have to do?!!"
"The terms have been met," the same answer.
Vandall fell silent. Silent... and silent. Then...
A snap of fingers.
The place around him lit up. It became a bright white. He finally has his body again.
Vandall checked his himself.
"The Gift... give him." The harmonized voices again.
Vandall looked around. There was no source for the voice, but there was that hum again.
"Ah, I remember... what is this..!?"
"The Gift... give him," the same voice.
Vandall sighed.
"Would you please be quiet for a bit?.."
"TheGift... give him." No matter what Vandall said, the voices answered with the same reply.
Vandall understood.
"..Fine.. fine. The Gift... give me!"
The blue flame glowed and slowly faded toward Vandall's hand.
Vandall jolted in his place as if he had woken up from a dream in which he was falling.
He returned to his senses on the battlefield, his eyes looking at the same sky.
The water stopped accumulating upward and fell before it could rise.
The water that had already gathered above them fell. A small amount like that wouldn't do much, it was nothing compared to what preceded it.
It fell like heavy rain. Vandall received it with an open chest. He closed his eyes and opened them when the water stopped falling. He was still lying down, in chaos, in shock. He didn't comprehend everything that was happening. Vandall understood nothing of the events, so... he just lay there. He just wanted to lie down for a bit.
Bismarck, the man who was overcome by rage, had his anger vanish and turn into a bottomless confusion.
"What in the..." He looked around.
"Is Hilda near here?!" He searched. No one but those standing before him.
"What stopped my Grace, for God's sake!!!!?" He appeared in total panic, barely keeping his composure.
But that, of course, was good news that Canaria would welcome, no matter the price.
Even in her confusion, she threw at him. She hit him, but missed her main target. Despite that, the hit was painful. He tried to escape.
Rico, who was near Vandall, stood up with great effort. He walked a bit and looked at the lying Vandall. Vandall exchanged looks with him.
"Ricoooo!!" Canaria screamed. He immediately turned to look at her. She pointed toward the escapee across the river. Rico launched as fast as he could despite the heaviness of his exhausted body. His wet clothes made it worse, but he continued. He crossed the river with effort. Even the escaping Bismarck couldn't run forever, his fitness couldn't compare to someone in a mercenary squad. They hadn't gone far behind the river before the panicked, angry Bismarck decided to face Rico. It was a very bad decision.
Bismarck tried to exchange punches, but Rico's fighting technique was fast, sudden, and strange. It looked traditional in the eyes of Bismarck, who had received too much bad news today already.
"Where did you come from too!!" He tried to keep distance between him and Rico.
"What's the matter, Mr. Graceful?! Weren't you bragging a moment ago!?"
Rico wanted to press on his opponent's tense nerves.
"Damn you... when I get my Grace back, I will make sure not to show you mercy," Bismarck threatened.
But Rico's answer was shocking.
"Get back..? What do you mean get back?! Didn't you consume all your Lumen?"
"No... I didn'..." Here, Bismarck realized something.
His memory went back a bit. A conversation that hadn't been long ago with Astria.
"Wait.." It seemed so. It seemed Bismarck understood.
His memory went back even further, a few days ago, in the royal palace in the capital, Calipsia.
Bismarck remembered a conversation he had with Prince Theopold.
He remembered his angelic face. He remembered the clarity and beauty of his skin and his long black hair tied at the end.
But the most important thing he remembered:
"..Enjoy your Grace before it's too late."
Bismarck's eyes widened and his face turned pale. What was confusion from losing his Grace became a terrifying void after he found the explanation.
Rico didn't have to fight a man so defeated.
Bismarck fell on his own, dropping to his knees.
"..Can.. can something like this happen..?!"
Canaria checked on the survivors and helped those she could. Everyone who could stand helped. The sound of coughing and vomiting rose. Rodeln was among those who woke up and were helped. After being unconscious, he returned to awareness, though not completely.
She finally reached Vandall.
"What, you haven't died yet, you brat?!"
With cold eyes, he looked at her while still on the ground.
"It seems so."
Vandall sat up.
Canaria helped him stand.
"It seems he didn't account for running out of Lumen."
"No... I don't think so," Vandall replied vaguely.
Canaria was surprised by his disagreement; it was extremely rare.
"Huh?! What do you mean..?!"
Vandall stood up and straightened himself. He looked closely at Canaria's face and smiled, saying:
"I mean, I'm starting to understand Bismarck's obsession with the moon."