Abyssal Awakening-Chapter 745: Yuhai Port

Yuhai Port. A location that reeked of salt, smoke and drugs.

A hub of trade from the southern side of Sikha to the rest of the world. Whether that be transporting ’local goods’ or importing wares from abroad.

Each boat docked on the port sang songs of adventure with sea water crashing against the wooden frame. The cries of seagulls that echoed overhead.

The wind whipped against the towels stretched between buildings, hoping to protect themselves from the sun’s harsh rays.

In the distance, an arch of polished white stone stretched between a stone pillar and a mountain out at sea.

If this port were to have an icon, a defining trait, that piece of manmade beauty would be that icon.

And yet. . .

This arch now bore the emblem of the Sun Church, scorched onto the surface with several bestial and humanoid bodies hanging from the arch for all to see. A demonstration of what happens should you go against the Sun’s righteous crusade.

Near the main gate of the port, a modest carriage rolled to a halt near a queue that was formed. A line of carriages all looking to enter the city yet security was put into place by the Sun Church.

Far more stringent than the usual guards put into place, especially for the southern part of Sikha.

A lawless port that had law forced upon it.

Seeing this queue, a cluster of travellers stepped off the carriage.

The first to hop off was a woman. Her coat swept behind her, almost royal in a sense and far too grand for a port like this. She had short black hair that clung to her skin due to the sweat, a pair of golden eyes and a disdainful frown. She had one hand instinctively resting on the head of a quiet child who followed beside her.

On her black and red coat, there was an eerie motif of white butterflies with black thorns surrounding them. Beneath that coat, she wore a simple shirt with trousers that flared outwards around the ankles along with a pair of heels.

The child who followed beside her wore something a bit simpler. Consisting of a red and black hoodless jacket and a pair of baggy pants. The same black hair as the woman and a pair of emotionless crimson eyes.

A sharp gaze that seemed unbefitting of someone his age.

She turned her gaze towards the checkpoint as her lips twitched in annoyance.

"Of course there’s a check. Why wouldn’t there be?" She grumbled. "No shortage of zealots with a flaming rod up their arses."

The boy tugged at her coat as the woman glanced down.

Behind her, a young man hopped off the carriage as he adjusted the pack of his shoulder.

"Now now Maevis, as annoying as the situation may be, it’s best not to use that kind of language around children. They may learn an adult’s bad habits after all." He laughed with a genuine smile.

A stranger, anomaly even, for the southern part of Sikha. Someone with an honest smile, not the kind of a swindler or merchant but a simple pure hearted smile.

He looked like a knight of sorts with large shoulder plates and a cape that hid most of his armour. There weren’t any icons or emblems that could link him to any Church or faction and from the looks of things, a simple travelling knight expanding his horizons.

"Mr Rinan, be that as it may, you cannot deny the fact that the Sun Church is pushing their authority a little. It’s as though they’re unafraid of the Eclipse." Maevis rolled her eyes as the actions of the Sun have been annoying the citizens of southern Sikha for the past few days.

"That I can’t deny. These actions are a little. . . unbefitting of how the Sun Church usually operates. It’s as though they’re afraid of letting someone escape. But hey, silver lining is that they’re actually thoroughly checking rather than committing a slaughter." Rinan grinned.

Though his grin didn’t match the ominous implications of his words.

After Rinan, another duo stepped off the cart. A mute boy handed Rinan a small crate before helping a young woman down.

She nodded once at the boy before turning to Maevis. The two sharing certain features and even face shape. One might even think they were mother and daughter but that’s not the case.

"Stay close, who knows what they’ll ask if you start walking on your own." Maevis shot the girl a glance before letting out an annoyed sigh.

The last to emerge was an hunched over old man wearing a wide straw hat and a large shawl that obscured his outfit. The cane in his hand dug into the ground as his wrinkled fingers wrapped around the handle.

"Do you need me to carry you?" Rinan offered but the man laugh out a soft laugh and shook his head.

"That won’t be necessary, young man. I’m not so weak that I need a youngster like you to support me just yet. But thank you." He patted Rinan on the back.

The group had met each other about two towns away and rode the same carriage, all of them seeking Yuhai Port.

With the church needing to check the carriage separately, the group made their way towards the checkpoint first.

On the walls, Sigil markings were painted onto the side with a robed figure sitting in the corner.

By the main gate, two Sun Church Sentinels wearing gold and white armour began their checks.

Once it was the group’s turn, they stepped into the designated spot.

"Business and destination?" The Sentinel asked as the other checked their documents to make sure everything matched up.

"Travelling overseas. Extalia." Maevis stepped forward.

The Sentinel’s gaze lingered on the child next to her then to the group following behind.

"Business and destination?" He moved to Rinan.

"Just helping out where I can. No destination. Think of me as a guard." Rinan smiled, standing up straight.

The Sentinel sized him up before moving onto the next duo.

The mute boy and the girl.

"Business and destination?"

"Ah he’s mute. We’re here to follow. . . Maevis. We’re family. Where she goes we follow." The girl spoke up for the boy as the Sentinel turned to Maevis. However, she didn’t deny that claim.

Finally, he moved on to the old man.

"Business and destination?"

"I’m visiting my grandson, he lives here."

Staring at the old man for a moment, the Sentinel turned to his coworker.

"The documents checks out." He nodded.

With both tests now done, it was for time for the final check.

*YAWN~

"You know you can take longer for these checks right? I barely got a nap in." The hooded figure yawned before standing up.

Pulling down her hood, she revealed herself to be a woman with long blonde hair and a pair of golden eyes. Black markings could be seen on the side of her face, reaching down her neck as she gave her body a lazy stretch.

The Sigils around the walls began to glow as she eyed up the group.

Squinting her eyes, she stood silently for a long period before turning around.

"They’re clear~"

*BANG!!!

"!!!"

Maevis widened her eyes as her pupils constricted.

A golden spear had manifested in an instant and stabbed towards her, forcing her to block with black wires.

"Just kidding~ This one’s a bad one." The woman leaned back, staring at Maevis upside down with a wide grin.

"Ah~ You guys gone and done it now. This is why I keep telling you to take more time for your checks, otherwise people like this will slip through." Turning her body, the woman conjured a golden spear and twirled it around her body.

The Sentinels brought out their own weapons as Maevis clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Rinan! Didn’t you say you wanted to help? Why don’t you give me a hand?" Maevis asked as Rinan let out a hearty laugh.

"Yes. . . Indeed! I’ve already promised you my help. The situation does not matter and one must admit that I’ve been rather interested in fighting the Sun Sentinels. Do you think if I perform well, I’ll be recruited?" Rinan raised his hand in front of him as energy erupted from his palm.

Clenching his fist around the stream of energy, he tore out a giant greatsword bigger than his body.

"Careful of this one~ She’s carrying traces of divinity." The woman of with the spear warned while the others quickly evacuated the area.

In a fight between Hunters, they’re the ones who’ll suffer the most.

"Bella! Orlen! Back me up!" Maevis commanded as the mute boy narrowed his eyes.

Tapping his finger against his shoulders, his skin broke apart to reveal a set of prosthetics instead that ejected a set of knives for him to grab.

"What a drag. . ." The girl scratched her hair. Ejecting an artifact from her leg prosthetic, she injected energy into the weapon and radiant flames burst out from around her body.

Her hair transformed to match the shimmering flicker of fire.

"Oh hou~ Artifact wielders. They seem like pretty high quality ones at that. You’ve definitely been busy."

"Miss Gwen, please be serious about it." One of the Sentinels frowned as a set of golden chains appeared in his hands.

"Serious? I’ve always been serious about it. The question is why you guys keep giving me the hard work~ Just let a girl have her beauty sleep alright?" Gwen hoisted the spear on her shoulder and tapped down with her foot.

*RUMBLE!!!

Spears rained down from above as Maevis waved her hand and a net of threads parried the spears.

Flicking her finger, thorns burst out from the earth and pierced towards Gwen who grinned.

Twisting her body, she twirled the spear around her arms, waist then legs, cutting everything approaching her with frightening precision.

Once the last thorn was cut down, she wrapped her leg around the spear before grinning.

*BANG!!!

Spinning around to maximise the power she could generate, she kicked the spear towards the boy next to the woman.

*BANG!!! CRACK!!!

"I knew it~ heretics." Gwen narrowed her gaze with a chuckle.

From beneath his clothing, the boy transformed his arm into a bestial head that snapped the spear in half.

"Shall we begin?" Gwen asked, summoning two more spears.

"With the purification of the unclean~"

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢