"Fate!"

Paul, or whomever he had become, felt both confined and as though he were floating in a body of water. A word he last heard before becoming unconscious was the only thing that was resonating in his head.

He felt as though he was drifting through a space where he was imprisoned, or as he perceived it, he was a prisoner. He was now in a coma-like state.

Everything just felt like a dream to him as he recalled his previous life.

Despite being a gifted individual destined for greatness, he was too lackadaisical to put in the necessary effort. Because of their actions, all of his classmates who were less talented than him caught up to him.

However, he chose to prey on the less talented and common fold instead of competing with them.

An arrogant man, he was a con artist, and after tricking and deceiving many people, he ultimately achieved his goal of becoming a wealthy and successful member of society.

But when he was about to embrace his new life of luxury, fate had other plans for him. Without having the time even to respond, he passed away suddenly.

Despite having the intellect and capacity to do so, he never mastered any relevant skills. He had no real financial skills because his business model was based on deception.

His vision was now entirely obscured by an infinite blackness as he gradually accepted his fate.

He suddenly felt a tremor after an unspecified amount of time. He was instantly struck with a deep-seated sense of exhilaration, and his surroundings began to tremble.

***

Right now, "The Kestrel" appears to be a terrible mess. Many of the ship's components appeared to be broken or in a terrible lot, making it impossible to discern the magnificence of the ship.

We could occasionally hear the sounds of lightning strikes in the background and the noises of intense battle.

The calm and composed expressions on the sailors had vanished, and bodies could be seen virtually everywhere.

As they fought furiously against their foes, every single sailor had wounds.

They were all overpowered by their adversaries, who appeared to be entirely unafraid of dying, and there was nothing they could do.

They would attempt to perish alongside their adversaries even if they had little hope of winning.

They now pinned their hopes on their commander, who was engaged in combat with the enemy's leader. There was still a chance if he kills their leader!

But how could they know that their boss was also in a terrible condition right now? Ser Egnor was now engaged in combat with the person wearing purple armor.

They were both individuals who had acquired supernatural power and were able to make utilize it.

He had moved the fight underwater out of fear that he might damage the ship, but how could he have known that this had been the other person's plan all along?

While fighting on land, Egnor was unquestionably stronger than him, but in the water, the situation changed.

Since none of them cared about oxygen and were both capable of battling underwater, any terrain could serve as a battlefield for such powerhouses.

Crash!

A fist fell near his face. He avoided it for a brief instant before directing his foot in the direction of his foe.

But this wasn't just any kick; it kept distorting at the very tip and hit squarely in the center of the purple armor.

His adversary was launched into the air and dropped onto the water.

As he launched himself into the air, Egnor thought, "This is my chance!" However, while he was hurriedly climbing back to the top, he became aware of the danger behind him.

Swish!

His surroundings became distorted, and it appeared as though he was being approached by a net-like structure composed completely of water.

"I've been duped! Once again!"

Egnor realized as he was violently lowered to the ground.

The ship was severely swaying left and right during the struggle between the powerhouses. The battle on the deck appeared to have become much more severe as the storm's ferocity grew significantly.

The situation in the queen's cabin was also not looking good.

The passage to the cabin was barricaded, and some of the more formidable knights stood guard outside, repelling all of the invaders.

However, you could faintly hear some terrible moans coming from within the cabin.

The mood within the cabin was depressing. All of the people inside were the queen's maids, and they were all trained to handle any emergency.

But now the queen was about to give birth, amid the ocean!

This was also an extraordinary occurrence because a baby would be born prematurely for the first time in their race's history.

"Ahh! Oh, my!"

A gorgeous woman lay on the bed, her hair silver but with a red tint to it. Her deep grey eyes and sharp features complemented her inherent beauty.

However, her face was contorted as she winced in pain.

However, not all of these ladies were her maids. Some were servants, valets, dressers, butlers, and so on.

"Please, Your Majesty, hold on! Please believe me when I say that I will make certain that this baby is delivered safely on this ship."

A lovely lady in a white robe spoke up. She stood apart from the rest of the females here; she appeared to be of noble birth, and her hair, while entirely red, had a grey tint to it.

She was the queen's lady-in-waiting, Ithrel Larlar of House Larlar. Only individuals of noble birth were given last names in the aasimar race.

From the dawn of time, it was unlawful for regular people to have last names. In the end, your starting position in this society was defined by your blood.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

The ship jolted sharply, and many items in the room crashed over and splintered into bits.

Almost all of the women lost their balance and fell to the ground. Surprisingly, the bed where the queen was sleeping remained unchanged and did not even budge an inch.

Also remaining motionless, Lady Ithrel appeared unconcerned by the falling debris or the capsized ship. Her black eyes were fixed on the queen, and she also caught the two other women who were standing close by.

She was strong!

Even though she did not appear to be the kind to have enormous strength, she had simply handled the difficult situation and soothed the frantic mob of servants.

"Your Majesty, you must persevere! Just be patient a little longer."

"Ladies! Come out here and assist me! We must ensure that the baby and mother are safe even if it means risking our lives."

She issued instructions left and right, and most of the servants began to assist her as the royal child's birth approached.

The remaining servants rummaged through the room, taking whatever they could find to build a barricade outside.

Finally, they formed a circle and prepared to defend the cabin with their bodies if it was overrun by invaders.

Silence descended on the room, and the only sound was the queen's agonizing groans.

Everyone's eyes were filled with fear as they stared at each other, their faces etched with apprehension.

They understood that even a million of their lives would not be enough to equal a royal's life. In their society, the value of a person's blood dictated their worth, and this cannot be changed unless they have supernatural strength.

Soon, the rhythmic noises of combat seemed to get closer and closer to the room as the fear of death began to sear itself in their brains.

Waa! Waa!

A cry rang out just as they were about to open their mouths.

A new life has been born. A new being has entered this world amid the storm, lightning, and bloody combat outside.

It seemed impossible that such a thing could ever happen in this world. It was nothing less than a miracle!

But before they could rejoice, they heard an ear-piercing bang.

Boom!

The ship had been struck by lightning, and the deck was now on fire.

The fighting had mostly stopped, but the majority of the sailors were killed or badly injured.

This was a fantastic opportunity! Two or three groups of grey-robed soldiers poured inside the cabin, which had lost all of its defenses.

They banded together and killed the last surviving guard before breaking down the cabin door and making their way to the queen's chambers.

The enemy soon pressed and attacked the door of the room. The ladies had already collapsed to the ground, unable to withstand the powerful earthquakes from outside.

Lady Ithrel, on the other hand, did not move or make a sound as she stared at the small guy placed in her arms, and her countenance was perfectly calm.

She then sighed and handed the baby over to the queen.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! It is a boy "Ithrel remarked as she slowly approached the room's door.

But before the queen could open her eyes, Ithrel had left the area. What was left was a shockwave, and the outside sky started to twist noticeably.

The storm created a vortex above the ship, and everything seemed to stop for a time.

Boom!

A massive vortex developed in the sky, slowly drawing storm and lightning to the ship.

Bang!

A shockwave rang out before a blinding light flashed, forcing everyone to close their eyes.

After a while, one of the maids gently opened her eyes and gazed up at the ceiling, which had scratches on it but could be seen through, and the sky was as clear as the day.