𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃

chapter nine - requiem

The day before Lucas departed for the Capital was the day Lucas turned sixteen. It wasn't sad in the slightest. In actuality, Lucas was ecstatic to finally leave Rayborne. However, just before he left, all his neighbours came together before he left to gift him a vanadinite crystal. Lucas graciously accepted it, touched that they even cared that he was leaving. If he was being honest, he didn't even know half of their names.

What shocked him even more was what his parents got him: A used but elegant sword. It was exquisite, thin, badly balanced, but light. The hilt was like that of a claymore and the grip was made of leather. The blade was made out of tempered volcano carbon, and despite being darkly coloured, it still gleamed under the sun and stars. The gift was like the only sliver of validation Lucas had ever received from his parents.

During his training in the Capital, Lucas held onto the sword even when he was offered a standardized military-issued one that was in much better shape. He placed the crystal at the very bottom of the hilt and gave the sword a name - "Requiem" - and etched its name on the side.

As the years passed, Lucas sparred with many, bent the hilt by accident so that it was at a 65 degree angle, and used it to the point when the leather grip began to wear out. He cared for Requiem as a friend for it had been by his side through thick and thin. Even if Sophia re-sheathed the weapon after only a few seconds, Lucas would surely be able to recognize his beloved sword.

"What's wrong, pretty boy? Where did that gorgeous smile go?" Sophia teased.

Lucas looked away, slightly flustered and enraged at the nickname. "I- You... nothing. Uh, where did you get that sword?"

"Oh, this old thing?" Sophia slapped Requiem's hilt. "Some Goody Two Shoes soldiers stole something stole something of ours, so as revenge, we raided one of their outposts. Unfortunately, that meddling Reid was there and all we were able to snatch were some stupid swords and bed sheets. We threw most of them overboard, but this one looked really cute to me. I almost feel bad for the guy I stole it from.

"You should be," Lucas muttered to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Lucas fought the urge to snatch Requiem from Sophia's waist and slash her neck right then and there. The sword hit him with a sense of homesickness he didn't have the luxury to feel over the past few days. Just the sight of it reminded him of the relentless teasing from his peers about its appearance, showing it off to curious little kids in the streets, and the countless missions he went on with it. However, maybe letting it go could be the first step to letting go of his old life.

"Lucas, come sit down and meet the crew. We've still got a lot of sea to cover before we reach land again," MJ said while walking over to the women seated around a barrel.

"Oh, okay."

Lucas goes to follow her and takes a seat right next to her and across from the woman he didn't get a proper look of a while ago. At a glance, she seemed to have a serious and no-nonsense appearance. Lucas almost got the feeling that she would roll his eyes at him or give him a glare if he even breathed in her general direction. However, that impression faded away almost immediately when she broke into a smile.

"Oh, my God, Ashley! Stop cheating," she giggled.

The other woman, Ashley, picked up a card from the deck in front of her. "I'm not!"

"Yes, you are! Oh, uh, hello," the lady across from Lucas said now that she has noticed him. She looks over at MJ. "What's he doing here?"

"It's fine, Sarah. It turns out he wasn't working with Stepan and Matthew," MJ replied. "So, now we're going to be bringing him and his friend back to land. It was just a misunderstanding."