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"Will it be them or us? After all that we've been through together, Noah?" Ronan asked Noah, causing him to frown.
"You've only ever looked out for yourselves, don't think that I've forgotten how you abandoned us all to die while using people as bait!" Noah replied.
"So, you're going to become their dog as well?" Craig cut in.
"I told you to be quiet!" Ronan backhanded Craig to the floor.
Craig looked at Ronan with anger and hate, which Ronan ignored as he observed Noah closely. Displaying to everyone that he was cautious of Noah despite the calm he showed on the surface. Perspiration was beginning to appear on Ronan's brow as he waited for Noah's response, it was noted by the observant David. Ronan disregarded them all as a threat, including the other ability-users from the ferry. Yet, when it came to Noah, he hesitated. He had firsthand experience of what he was capable of.
"I don't care what you all do to each other. It's none of my business. You can kill each other if you want to, but I want no part in it," Noah gave his decision before turning and walking back the way they arrived from. Josh made to follow but was stopped by Alex, who slightly shook his head, understanding that Noah was someone who preferred to be alone. Noah was friendly and helpful, but he always kept himself apart from the other survivors. That is possibly part of the reason for his [Omega Role], as the omega in a wolf pack is the outcast.
Alex and Josh joined Mister Kim's side. Alex placed his large bandaged hand on Mister Kim's shoulder to indicate that he would support his decision. Noah remained nearby, out of sight. He was close enough to rush back if need be, but he was unwilling to be a pawn of either party.
"We will take a place in the ship that's unoccupied and keep to ourselves. There are fewer of you remaining on board as Mister Craig informed us that many passengers disembarked before the arrival. If no one bothers us, we will not bother them. Is this acceptable?" Mister Kim offered a solution.
"I agree to your terms set," David hastily agreed.
"I don't agree, we will take what's ours. Only those strong enough have any rights in this world." Ronan sanctimoniously rejected his proposal.
"Then, I regrettably must side with Mister David and his companions on this matter." Mister Kim firmly pushed Su towards the survivors behind him, who quickly sheltered her. A wave of green-lifeforce flowed down Mister Kim's arm before forming into an intimidating fire whip. He then exhibited his expertise as he caused the lash to dance around him in a hypnotic display, taking a well-practised combat stance.
The whip's flames illuminated the darkening walkway as the fiery clouds faded into blackness. Upon seeing his actions, Alex pushed Josh towards the survivors as he rolled his shoulders to loosen them before punching his fist against his bandaged hand, reopening his wound. Alex ignored the pain as he sneered at Ronan.
"You're making a big mistake." Ronan threatened the pair.
"There is only one way for us to find out. Come." Mister Kim beckoned Ronan towards him with his free hand as his burning whip made of flames rested down at his feet as it seared the wooden deck.
"I'll let you all off this time, but you will regret this in the future." Ronan ominously promised. Ronan watched the two menacingly as he sneered towards the cruise ship passengers. He lit a cigarette on Mister Kim's flame whip as he passed. He intentionally bumped his shoulders into the towering Alex with a glare as he took a drag on his smouldering cigarette. "We will choose our rooms. let's go!"
"Well, Mister Kim. I look forward to working with you again in the future. You will need to supply food to your own people, or arrangements can be made to work in exchange for food. You can all take the crew's living quarters. The crew will be moved to the passenger rooms. Do you agree?" David addressed Mister Kim.
"That is reasonable. I encourage any of you who are hungry to speak with the crew to work in exchange for your meal." Mister Kim addressed the ferry survivors.
"Mister David, please have someone show us to our rooms."
"Certainly. Theodore, have someone show them to their rooms. Mister Kim, I invite you, your granddaughter, your associate Alex and his partner to the theatre for tonight's entertainment after you have rested. I will personally invite Noah to join us, as well. Excuse me," David then motioned to Theodore to arrange everything as he went in search of Noah.
***
Noah was nearby, leaning on a rail as he watched the aurora borealis only he could see. David approached while escorted by a crewman carrying a lantern.
"You can go now. Leave the lantern," David commanded the tidily dressed crewman.
"Yes sir," the crewman hung the lantern on a hook prepared nearby.
"Who would have imagined, a small detail like oil lanterns added to make the luxury cruise feel more romantic would prove to be invaluable," David mused to Noah.
"I wondered why there was a lantern here, I thought that fires would be prohibited on a ship," Noah admitted.
"There was a word Craig used in our exchange earlier, 'blank'. Is that what survivors back on land are calling people who haven't awakened abilities?" David asked unexpectedly, catching Noah slightly off guard.
"Yes, I only learned about that in the past day myself. They call them blanks because their crystals are clear. They call people like us, witches. I guess that means we should be burned at the stake" Noah joked bitterly.
"You don't seem very happy with the label," David observed.
"They don't trust ability-users back on land, because of people like Ronan and Craig who believe that ability-users are a superior species. The ability-users have banded together to form a gang called 'the Fallen'. That's what the snake symbol on Ronan's leather vest represents," Noah explained.
"What about Sophie? Does she believe the same? I can see what kind of men you, Alex and Mister Kim are. The survivors respect you, but they don't accept you as they do the other two. Why is that?" David asked.
"Sophie... I don't know what she believes, but she does follow Ronan. Mister Kim tries to do what's best for his granddaughter and the survivors. Whereas Alex has only just awakened. I'm... different from them," Noah replied.
"I can see subtle purple light still moving under your skin even now while you're not activating an ability. What's causing that?"
"It's what happens after grade two. You may have noticed it with the giant sharks and even more obviously on the Kraken," Noah answered.
"Excuse my ignorance, grade two?"
"I forgot that you won't have experienced the Store here. It's those beams of light wreaking down through the clouds to abduct survivors. There, aliens will explain certain things happening. They also sell supplies that can't be found on Earth yet. Like this chest plate," Noah tapped his [Grade 1 Spirit Armour Chestplate] before continuing.
"I don't know how many grades there are. The highest I've seen is grade three. Which are the Kraken and a soulless back on the docks. But as a User goes upgrades, we increase in strength."
"Soulless are the demonic undead creatures I spoke of which killed the captain, correct?"
"Yes, they seem to follow different rules to users. Alone they're not very dangerous to an ability-user. But they gather in hordes. Individually an ability-user is far more difficult to face, and that includes animals as well."
"From what I saw of your battle alongside Alex earlier, I believe you. You spoke of Users and crystals?"
"Users are what the aliens and the System call all of us who have origin crystals in our heads. Origin crystals are found at the base of the skull. If we die, the crystal will turn black, and we would become a soulless. An Ability-user's crystal colour matches their lifeforce. Whereas blank's crystals are clear. Collecting crystals from humans is taboo, but any crystal can be absorbed to gain lifeforce," Noah briefly summarised.
"This has given me a lot to think about. Please join us at the theatre tonight for the evening entertainment. There will be plenty of food and beverages. We have been treating each day as our last since the apocalypse's arrival, hence the formal attire. There is still a large supply of food to last another six to eight weeks. Even if the cruise ship was at maximum capacity. We are currently at about twenty percent as there is only a minority of the passengers and a skeleton crew while everyone else went ashore. Alcohol is in short stock as everyone here has been drinking enough to intoxicate an elephant each night. So do not worry about starving just yet," David informed Noah as he pulled a silver cigar case from his pocket before offering it to Noah.
