Paul Ortner, a mercenary, was exiting the restroom until a group of people suddenly dragged him to an isolated place.
"Get off of me!"
"Calm down. We want to ask you something," Aldred said.
Paul looked at the group that forcefully dragged him. All of them wore expensive equipments which irritated him a bit. "What do you all want from me?"
"We've heard about Chronicles of Ascendria. I want to know more about that."
Paul smirked. "And what benefit will I get?"
"20K Galactic Credits. That should be enough for the information."
"200K. No more no less." Paul smirked. He hated these rich kids who thought they could order him around with money.
"You are asking too much!" Salamander shouted.
Aldred raised his hand to calm him down. Suddenly, his eyes turned deep red and Paul's body froze.
'Fuck what is going on? I cannot move!'
Paul panicked. He used all the will in every cell of his body, but it still refused to move. His eyes twitched, but they were locked with Aldred's red eyes. Cold sweat poured from his forehead, and his breathing became restricted.
He felt suffocated, like a rope was tightly tied around his neck. As seconds passed, Aldred's eyes become even more terrifying and death seem near.
But just as he was about to blank out, his body was able to move again, and he quickly gasped for air.
"What did you do to me?"
"What? We didn't do anything," Aldred said. "The offer still stands. 20K Galactic Credits."
Paul gritted his teeth. "Fine."
Aldred grunted inside. His eye power was still not fully returned yet. If it did, he would use illusions to extract all of the information directly from Paul's brain.
He still did not understand why his power went away. The power was given to him by the gods, so it should be working anywhere. Even when his father brought him to multiple galaxies, his power always worked.
'Is this galaxy different than the others? Or perhaps this is a different universe?'
The theory of multiverse weren't a mere theory anymore. He knew there were unlimited amount of universes each with different rules.
His father hadn't brought him to a different universes before, so he did not know much. There were enough galaxies to explode in one universe anyway.
"That is all, I know. I swear," Paul said after telling them everything he knew. "Now, will you let me go?"
"You said that as if we're forcing you." Aldred smiled. He tapped his comms to Paul's comms, transferring 20K Galactic Credits. "That's your payment."
Aldred and the others left immediately.
The information they get were as follow: The Chronicles of Ascendria were rumored to appear in the neighboring stellar cluster, Novastra Cluster. It was one of the richest stellar clusters with mineral-rich stars and planets.
The Chronicles of Ascendria was said to be an abstract concept. It was like a library, a place to keep knowledge, but nobody really knew if it was in the shape of a planet, an asteroid, or something else. It was said that one can't really look for it, but only stumble upon it.
When one entered the Chronicles of Ascendria, it would be like entering an atmosphere of a planet.
"The information we got isn't that useful," Salamander commented.
"Not really, but at least we know where to go from here," Aldred said before he glanced at Elralya. "You said you're a seer, right? I don't know how your power works, but I believe you can help in guiding us."
Elralya nodded. "I will try my best."
The group went to the docking station and asked the officer there.
"You want to travel to the Novastra Cluster?"
"That's right."
"Which one is your ship?"
"That one." Aldred pointed.
The officer followed Aldred's finger and saw the Galactic Rover. His face immediately turned sour. "That is impossible. Your ship doesn't have the technology to travel beyond this star clusters."
Salamander sighed. "I knew it."
"So what do we do now?" Aldred asked.
"If you all really want to go there, then I suggest you pick a mission. All of you are mercenaries, correct? Go check an protection jobs of ships that will go to your destination. After the ship arrived in Novastra Clusters, your contract will end. It's a simple and safe job. You will also get paid for it."
"That sounds interesting," Aldred said.
They quickly looked for available jobs and filter what they wanted.
After looking for a while, they found two missions that were suitable for them.
"Protecting a cargo ship or a passenger ships . Which one is better?"
"Passenger ships," Salamander said. "I heard the guards in cargo ship will sometimes told to run errands, and it's less comfortable. In passenger ships we can even enjoy left-over foods and possibly use empty seats. Also, passenger ships are much safer since it did not contain much valuables."
"In that case, we will pick that."
After accepting the mission, they got a notification to go to the ships immediately.
he group hurried to the docking area where the passenger ship, named "Stellar Serenity," awaited them. As they approached, their jaws dropped in awe at the sheer size of the vessel. The Stellar Serenity was a colossal marvel, a floating city in space. Its hull gleamed with a polished, metallic sheen, and multiple layers of windows stretched across its surface, reflecting the twinkling stars of the galaxy.
The ship's enormity was staggering; it seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. Tens of thousands of passengers were bustling around, each with their own destination and purpose, creating a vibrant atmosphere of anticipation and excitement. From families with wide-eyed children to seasoned travelers, the ship accommodated a diverse array of beings from different corners of the galaxy.
The exterior of the ship was adorned with intricate designs and illuminated by soft, multicolored lights, giving it a majestic and luxurious appearance. It had multiple docking ports, each accommodating various spacecraft, shuttles, and transports. As the group approached the boarding area, they marveled at the efficient operation of the ship's crew, guiding passengers with courtesy and expertise.
Upon boarding, they were greeted by a grand atrium that reached several stories high, adorned with magnificent chandeliers and ornate decorations. The air was filled with a subtle fragrance, and the soft murmur of conversations created a pleasant ambiance.
The interior of the ship resembled a luxurious space station, complete with restaurants offering a diverse range of galactic cuisine, entertainment venues featuring live performances and holographic displays, shopping arcades with boutique stores showcasing exotic goods, and recreational areas such as gardens, pools, and even artificial beaches. The walls were adorned with mesmerizing artworks and interactive screens displaying information about the ship's route and destinations.
As they went deeper, an officer greeted them.
"Are you our new guards?" he asked.
"Yes, that will be us."
"I won't say much. The job here is simple. All you have to do is to be alert and help if there is any fight breaking out. It's quite rare, but some customers tend to throw hands when they get drunk."
"Uhh, what about pirates? Enemy attack, etc?"
"No need to worry about that. This is a cruise ships. The only reason a group of pirate will attack us if they are hungry. If that is the case, we will give them as much food as they want." The officer laughed. "Well, enjoy yourself. There's not much to do. Just watch something as you patrol if you don't want to get bored."
The officer left immediately.
The group was speechless.
"I told you the passenger ship was the correct choice," Salamander said.
As the passengers settled into their lavish accommodations, the group patrolled the sprawling corridors of the Stellar Serenity.
Some were curious about the mercenaries, asking about their adventures, while others simply went about their leisure activities.
During their patrols, they noticed the ship's security personnel, clad in sleek uniforms and armed with advanced energy weapons, diligently ensuring the safety of the passengers.
"The ship is safe, but the guards still patrolled the area," Aldred commented.
"Of course, they do that to look professional. We should do the same thing," Salamander replied.
The group's presence on the ship didn't go unnoticed.
Aldred and his teammates wore high-tech ultra expensive equipments. This made the passengers thought that their safety were highly prioritized and they quickly wrote great reviews for the cruise line.
As the ship embarked on its journey toward the Novastra Cluster, the group felt nervous. They never had traveled so far away before, but inside, they also felt great excitement for the adventure ahead.
Aldred entered the resting chamber and relaxed. His shift was over for today, so he grabbed himself a drink and watch some entertainments the ship provided.
The officer was correct, there was nothing much to do except walking around and greetings the passengers with a smile. Hospitality was part of the job.
"I hate smiling to customers though." Aldred sighed. "I hope I don't have to do this kind of job again."
