The Pirate

For every abundance of power, there is a great risk. It seemed that sentence had actually happened to Mahendra this time. After unleashing the power of the ancient spell that afternoon in the forest, he realized this was no ordinary power. He began to believe in the title of Devourer Destiny.

No matter what, every time he unleashed that power, his life energy would be drained. With this, he came to understand why the previous cursed people could not survive long enough.

An uneasy feeling arose in his heart that made him unable to focus. Mahendra, who had left the inn with unbalanced footsteps, was looking for a place to calm down. In addition, there was also a sense of fear that made him reluctant to interact with people around him.

The Gurkha people thought he was either drunk or utterly mad, as he would sometimes smile incoherently.

The ancient spell inside him felt like it wanted to come out, his expression that used to be flat was no longer. Along the way he muttered incoherently and then laughed out loud, as if he was about to lose his identity.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY! GET OUT OF MY WAY!" shouted Mahendra. He bumped into someone nearby, not noticing where he was going.

"I said get out of my way!" After that Mahendra collapsed on the spot, his body trembling as if shivering from the cold.
"What's going on?" The woman whose shoulder had just collided with Mahendra's was confused.

Two men who were his friends came over and seemed to know something had happened.

"What happened to you?"
"Nothing. I just bumped into someone."
The man clearly noticed Mahendra's unusual body condition.

"Apparently he's a cursed person this time." He sighed for a moment and then said, "Let's just ignore him."

Mahendra's eyes that had been closed for a while now opened wide. Without a second glance and knowing more about the situation, he immediately attacked the men with sharp claws.

"He's still out of control?!"
"Tie him up, knock him unconscious, and get him to the ship!" The Woman commanded.
"Captain?! Why do we have to take him to the ship?"
"Shut up and do everything I say!"

"The ancient spell had taken away part of his memory, his sanity, and his life. Of course, he was not easily controlled with just a rope or something."

It was a few magic spells learned by the woman that now put Mahendra to sleep.
***

One fine morning, all members of the adventurous group woke up at the same time. They confirmed to each other that each member was now complete.

"There's one person missing."

Mi opened the door to the room that was supposed to be used by Mahendra himself, to her great surprise it was unlocked and Mahendra was no longer inside.

"Did he tell any of us that he had left?" Mi asked.

The Muscular Man remembered with certainty that Mahendra had come into his room after treating a shoulder injury. The young man looked very tired, so how could he leave without any news. Quickly, the Muscular Man went to the reception desk.

"Hey, did you see someone leave the inn? His hair is black, everything is black except for his rather pale skin. He's this tall." He asked as he raised his palm to the level of his stomach.

"The night after you took care of him, he left not long after entering the room. His body was unbalanced while walking, maybe because he was drunk so he went outside to get some fresh air?"

"Nonsense! He's just a kid, how could he be drunk!" snapped the Muscular Man. He immediately walked out of the inn, followed by the rest of the group.

Meanwhile on the other side. It was a slightly calm atmosphere with sunny weather. The blue sky was expansive, and there was the salty smell of the sea. Mahendra slept through the night, lying for a long time on the deck of the ship without changing his position at all.

A group of pirates that only contained a few people. A female captain and five of her crew were busy discussing Mahendra who had not woken up after traveling on the sea.

"Captain, we shouldn't be doing this. It's nothing short of kidnapping."

"He approached us on his own. He's no ordinary person, after all. He's a cursed one." One of them was trying to convince the captain, running his hand across his neck in a threatening gesture.

"Careless! He's not just cursed but he's a Destiny Devourer. I'm sure of it."

"Captain, that so-called person is even more unbelievable than the four strongest legends."

"You've been saying the same thing all day. Aren't you bored? Ah, never mind. I'm tired of this conversation."

The female captain with her black ponytail glared at all her crew members. Since the boy was there and she didn't even know him, she kept saying things that went against everyone's opinion.

"Don't tell me the captain likes him?" said one of her friends, whispering softly as he said that to the person next to him.

However, it was still heard in both of the captain's ears. The woman glared at him, as if threatening to throw him overboard. Thanks to the intimidating gaze of that brave woman, no one dared to speak again. 

Gazing out at the open sea might be dull for some, but for a sailor, especially a pirate, it was the most thrilling thing, especially with treasure in the mix. The female captain, Liliana—a gentle name that didn't quite fit her tomboyish appearance—reminisced about her childhood memories.

A father patted his little daughter's shoulder with a smile and said, "There will be people who can change our destiny later."

"Father, who is that person?"

"I don't know, but they has always existed but failed to rise for tens or even hundreds of times. This time perhaps that figure will rise. Until then, help them to reach the upper realm. Understood?"

"Father, how am I going to help if I don't know what that person is like?"

"That figure has a strange nature and demeanor. They not very sociable and has little to say. Sometimes they even mutters strange words to themselves, but that Devourer Destiny is so powerful that all the humans who consider themselves gods in the upper realms can't help themselves. They can absorb everything including the fate that befalls them."

"So powerful! I wonder what that person will be like? Father, am I going to meet them?"
"No, you won't. Unless you go looking for them."

The young girl vividly remembered the message from her late father until she grew up now. Liliana smiled as she recalled those memories.

"I hope this person I meet is the Destiny Devourer."
"Captain, are you sure?"
"I'm very sure of my hunch."
"Very well, I will follow whatever the captain orders." The most loyal of the men, Ronald smiled.

The calm sea suddenly gave rise to an unusual phenomenon. A wave was coming and they immediately took control of the ship and steered it in the opposite direction. However, unfortunately they were a step too late.

"Oh my, why is there a sea wave here all of a sudden?!"
"We're too late, captain!"

They had already resigned themselves to the fact that the sea wave was approaching, but it suddenly stopped just as it was about to touch the ship. An energy from within the sea appeared and flowed through the air towards someone.

Liliana looked back and found Mahendra, who was still fast asleep, absorbing the energy. Not only the energy from the ocean, he was also absorbing a bit of the life energy as well as the mana within the bodies of all the crew members.

"I feel a little weak."
"I'm tired. I've been sitting all day."
"What is it?"

For about a minute, the suction of energy had gradually diminished. Mahendra opened both eyes and the sea waves were instantly destroyed.

"Just as I thought." Liliana smiled.