Chronicles Of The Seeker

 Splash

The sound of the ocean swallowing a new soul echoed across the water. The ripples spread outward, growing weaker—then still. Yet, no figure emerged from the depths.

Deep beneath the waves, at the base of a jagged cliff, a barely conscious body struggled against the crushing silence. 

Trying his best to find something to hold on to, something that can save him

Mom… Dad… I never want to be like you guys. Poor without power, I'll be rich. I'll take care of you both. Ok"

A woman's hand rested on a young boy's head.

"I know you can do it."

'Why the hell am I remembering that now?'

Panic surged through his chest.

'Damn it. I can't swim. I actually thought it would be easy—like in those dramas and anime". He chuckled "seems I'm more of a fool than I thought.'

Darkness encroached, his limbs growing numb. Yet, for some reason, even as his mind unraveled in the abyss, he wasn't afraid.

'Weird… I should be terrified but—'

His vision blurred. As he was losing consciousness he saw was a shadow plunging into the water.

Aquarius finally woke, with ragged breathing trying to make sense of his situation, he was lying on a desolate shore, his clothes heavy with seawater. A hunched figure worked near a fishing boat, dressed in rags, repairing nets with weathered hands.

'I'm alive'. He stared at the man, 'Did he save me'

As he tried to stand, the old man shot him a glance.

"Tch. Damn kids these days, throwin' their lives away like they got spares." He shook his head. "Next time you wanna die, do it far from me. Don't you fear death?"

Aquarius sat up, slowly crossing his legs, resting his arms on his knees. He studied the man for a long moment before sighing.

"No, actually… I know fear all too well."

His gaze drifted to the ground—ants crawling across wet sand, oblivious to the vast world around them. His expression hardened as conviction crept into his voice.

"But what I fear most isn't death. Not even what comes after."

He slowly pushed himself to his feet, brushing the sand from his soaked trousers.

"What I fear most… is dying without ever being me. Just a puppet in someone else's show."

The both were silent for a long time, feeling tense from the sudden silence, he had always lived in, Aqua stood up to leave.

Turning away, he took a step forward.

"Oi, brat. Where the hell you goin', drenched like that?"

Aquarius flashed a tired smirk. "Shopping."

Before the old man could voice another complaint, Aquarius bent slightly at the waist, his voice softer.

"Thanks, old man. I think I might need a vacation."

The bustling market district near the seaport hummed with murmured conversations, the air thick with the scent of salt, fish, and exotic spices. Yet, almost as if guided by an unspoken force, the crowd's eyes flickered toward a lone figure weaving through the masses.

His presence was impossible to ignore—pale skin glistening with seawater, damp black hair tied in a loose ponytail, and moonlit-gray eyes gleaming beneath the golden afternoon light. He was hauntingly beautiful, yet out of place against the sun-kissed vibrance of the port.

His gaze locked onto the docks.

A woman stood at the edge, clad in a navy-blue suit with a high-necked blouse lined with delicate frills. Elegant yet commanding, she held herself like royalty—untouchable, her mere presence was the definition of Grace and poise.

Behind her rested the true ruler of the port.

A colossal ship.

Its obsidian-metal hull bore ancient carvings, symbols pulsing with faint light. Letters large enough to be read from afar marked its name: 'Azrael'.

Its design was unlike any common vessel. A steam engine hummed beneath its surface, modified with bio-nuclear energy, while its shimmering sails, crafted from rare solar-absorbing metal, absorbed the last light of day.

Aquarius let out a slow sigh.

"People sure are rich. Even if I worked my whole damn life, I doubt I could afford to step foot on that thing."

Then, as if the absurdity of his own words amused him, a smirk curled at the edges of his lips.

'But who said anything about using my own money?'

A quiet chuckle escaped him as darker musings unfolded in his mind.

'People think the greatest human need is money, shelter, and some idiots say crap like love . None of them are wrong in a way … but what humans need most—'

His smirk deepened.

'—are masks.'

'Masks are human's shield and protection that without it, you're just basically naked without a cover, those in power remain there because of masks and the subjects have their heads remain because of their ability to use their masks.'

'And I can I say with authenticity that I have varieties of mask'.

He grinned.

The soft chime of a bell announced his entrance into a modest boutique on Plaza Street 4A.

Behind the counter, a woman in a sharp red blazer lounged with her feet up, scrolling through her phone. She barely acknowledged him—until she did.

Her sharp gaze flicked up, sweeping over him like a seasoned merchant appraising goods.

Aquarius smiled inwardly.

The young woman that was at most 26 years, sighed after her inspection,

"See, kid, I know your type." She sighed, setting her phone down. "You stroll into a shop like this, thinkin' you can act like an aristocrat just 'cause you've got a pretty face. But let me warn you—I don't fall for swindlers."

Oh? A tough one.

He straightened, his posture shifting into something refined. A subtle change in the way he stood, the way he moved—an aura carefully sculpted from years of watching nobles from afar.

Then, with effortless charm, he spoke in flawless British articulation.

"Oh, I see. I did intend to take some clothes without paying, Lady Katherine. But you see, my dear mother always told me it's important to support independent and exceptionally beautiful women."

A beat of silence.

Then—laughter. Loud, full-bodied, echoing through the shop.

"Hah! Kid, did your mother also tell you that you've got a silver tongue? Fine, let's pretend you are some aristocrat. How exactly am I gettin' my money paid?"

His smile sharpened. The moment she questioned him, she had already fallen into the game.

With the perfect balance of innocence and arrogance, he admitted,

"I am in search of my fiancée—Siri Azrael."

The room stilled.

The woman's smirk faltered.

Aquarius exhaled softly, voice smooth as silk. "That's why I'm wet. I heard from the locals that she was seen near the river slums. You should've seen the cops I brought with me."

Her sharp eyes flickered with understanding.

"Hmmm… You might be right. I did hear rumors. And cops? They don't come 'round these parts, let alone the slums."

She studied him again, her demeanor shifting.

"Then what should I call you, noble boy?"

He tilted his head slightly, a soft, almost amused smile gracing his lips. His voice, delicate as a prince's, rang through the boutique.

"I am the Lord of Ashen, Aquarius Alucard. But you may call me Aqua."

Her expression shifted—from suspicion to reverence.

She bowed slightly.

"Welcome, Lord Aquarius."

She took the bait

Inside his luxurious suite aboard Azrael, Aquarius sat at the edge of his bed, staring at the wall, a slow grin stretching across his lips.

"I still can't believe I got on an Azraelian ship with my own hands—well, technically, the hands of a probably-dead princess. But who cares?"

Remembering Katherine words made him chuckle:

"I hope you like my goods I will be there anytime you need me"

He glanced at the wardrobe and his reflection through it he was dressed in nude turtle neck, white plain trousers and a coat at hand , he smiled with satisfaction. 

His smile faltered for just a moment, a fleeting thought crossing his mind.

'…How is everyone back home doing?'

'Tch.'

His mood soured instantly, his mind unwillingly recalling a particular figure draped in clergy robes.

'Just remembering that damn priest spoils my mood.'

He sighed, forcing himself back into rational thought.

'Alright. Let's settle everything one by one.'

'First, my parents—labeled occultists and heretics for an unknown reason. Why the hell would they join a coven with no money? At least pick a cult with riches, damn it.'

He paused, tapping his fingers against his knee.

'Then there's the clergy. Why were they so insistent on getting my family executed? Could we be from a special bloodline with superpowers and untapped wealth?'

His expression shifted from realization to disbelief.

'No way. If we were actually rich… I'd probably sell one of my parents for making me suffer'

A distant boom rumbled through the ship.

Aquarius stiffened knowing that it spelled trouble.

A crash. Then another.

His body moved before his mind could catch up. He rushed to the deck to see what was happening.

The sight before him stole the breath from his lungs.

The sky was black, tinged with deep crimson and a crack in space directly in front of them. The sea churned violently, waves rising like walls.

And amidst the chaos, standing in the fog—

A colossal figure.

Towering over 100 meters. Its six grotesque, tentacle-like arms stretched toward the heavens.

A being beyond comprehension.

Silence choked the ship.

At last, Aquarius muttered one word.

"Damnation."