Gun of Ashes

Everything happened so abruptly. Some were still staring at the brilliant beam overhead, some were still fighting the demons that crawled from the seabed, and others were trembling in the shadows...

The chaos of sound completely destroyed the peace of the Silent Sea. Bola wasn’t sure how many heard the gunshot like a tolling bell, but he knew he heard it clearly, so loud, and under its toll, all worldly sounds seemed to fade away, leaving only this lonely echo.

Lancelot’s face was full of disbelief, blood spread from his chest, quickly soaking his entire shirt. The bullet, carrying massive kinetic energy, pushed him backward.

The blood cooled, and the heart gradually slowed down. Lancelot had already raised his firearm, but he no longer had the strength to pull the trigger and fell rigidly.

The expanding pupils reflected the brilliant beams, and soon, thunder boomed and torrential rain poured down.

”Lancelot!”

Bola shouted as he rushed to him, clutching Lancelot’s chest, trying to save his life, but it was too late. The silver large-caliber revolver blew a hole in Lancelot’s chest; his heart was shattered instantly. No matter how Bola tried to block it with his hands, the blood wouldn’t stop flowing, spilling onto the deck and being washed away by the rain as if it had never existed.

Froki glanced disdainfully at Bola, who was holding the corpse; his body trembled slightly as if sobbing.

The silver revolver rose again but was not fired.

The rain blurred Froki’s vision, the cold wind gradually numbed the hand holding the gun, perhaps due to erosion influences and other reasons, he felt he should get closer for a better aim.

The black muzzle pointed at Bola, slowly approaching, as lightning flashed, resonating with a roar.

Almost simultaneously, Bola reacted with a powerful burst of energy from his knees, moving a short distance. The trembles and sobs were merely to numb Froki; at the moment Lancelot was shot, Bola was already thinking about how to retaliate.

Bola wanted to kill all these Vikings.

But he was too slow; the toll sounded again, and the bullet easily penetrated Lancelot’s corpse, injuring Bola’s arm. As Bola leaped, he dragged Lancelot’s corpse, using it as a shield to protect himself.

The sudden rain soaked the deck; Bola’s landing was quite clumsy, falling with Lancelot’s corpse, rolling around several times before stopping against the cabin amidst the Horned Whale’s tumultuous rocking.

Soaked all over, the clothes began to feel heavy, the icy touch incessantly torturing Bola’s nerves. As he dragged the corpse, Bola also picked up Lancelot’s gun.

Bola awkwardly stood up, swiftly, pointing the gun at Froki as per his memory’s impression. But before he could pull the trigger, a towering figure blocked Bola.

”Froki Willgardson!”

Bola cursed as he pulled the trigger; this was a betrayal that had long been planned. Perhaps when the Horned Whale reached the Viking lands, these madmen had already set their sights on him.

Thunder and gunfire merged into a deafening roar.

Bola only felt an irresistible force pulling him aside from the muzzle, bullets firing and disappearing into the rainy mist.

Froki grabbed the barrel, trying to snatch the weapon from Bola’s hand, but it was the only weapon Bola had; he was determined not to let go, kicking fiercely at Froki’s waist and abdomen, yet it was already armored.

”Such trouble...”

Froki muttered, slowly lifting the battle axe, its cold edge reflecting the beam and Bola’s desperate face, distorted by rain drops.

The battle axe fell, metal clashed, and sparks flew.

Bola leaned against the cabin behind him, covering his bleeding arm, slowly sitting down, shattered steel scattered around him.

Froki exerted tremendous pressure on him; in such chaotic turbulent conditions, this Viking stood like a rock, stable in his gait, seemingly impervious to erosion, all actions emerging from rational judgment.

”What do you want?”

Bola gasped, cold air churning in his lungs, causing sharp pain.

Anger, fear, sorrow... Complex emotions swirled in his mind; pervasive erosion acted like a catalyst, accelerating everything, dragging Bola’s consciousness into the abyss.

”The same as you: uncover the secrets of this Silent Sea.”

Froki said calmly, without further intent to attack. Seeing Bola cease resisting, his gaze wandered elsewhere as he spoke.

Bola’s gaze wandered with him; only now did he realize the rain had isolated everyone. Many soldiers hadn’t realized Lancelot’s death, still defending against the demons at their posts...

Not only that, some soldiers became like those Vikings, yelling war cries, bloodthirsty eyes towards the demons, pouring out all their rage.