A hiss came from the leviathan's throat as it stared down at Dagon. "So, you know what I am?" It asked. It's voice didn't seem like it was actually talking. It seemed like it was telepathic, bouncing off the walls of a cave, but Dagon knew it couldn't of been telepathy.
Dagon began slowly backing up from the being. It was absolutely massive compared to any dragons he'd seen; even compared to the Dragon God Phenor, it's head alone was as big as Phenor's torso. It could have easily swallowed him in one gulp.
An immense tail began lifting from the water, winding about and slamming over the bridge of mercury as the creature coiled around Dagon, ensuring him.
"I haven't crossed paths with a Dragon Kin in many… many years." The creature hiss, lowering its head towards Dagon. "What purpose do you have in coming here, to my territory?"
Dagon's mind was racing. What could he do in this situation? What there any way out at all..? No… if he tried using mercury to move or escape, the leviathan could easily just swallow him whole. If he tried attacking it with mercury, he doubted he'd actually do any damage, given the creature's immense size. Not just that but he didn't even know if the poison from the mercury would kill it, and in truth, he didn't know enough about the leviathan to risk his life attacking it. But he doubted it would just let him go if he told it what he was doing, but did he have any choice?
Maybe he should just stall, he thought. If he were to try and commune with the leviathan, maybe he could stall long enough for Sephtis to come and find him. Maybe then he could do something.. although, he had doubts as to whether or not they could defeat such a foe.
As the storm raged on and drops of water and hail pelted hard across Dagon's clothes and skin, as well as slamming over the Leviathan's immense figure, he decided he really had no choice but to obey the leviathan, for now.
— — —
Sephtis felt his conscious mind slipping away as his head began to lull in the water and he began to drift, his movements slowing as his vision began turning black.
'Dagon…' Sephtis thought, 'I'm sorry..'
The last bubbles of air began to drift up from Sephtis's nostrils, but, just as his eyes were about to shut, sealing away his soul beyond the gates of the afterlife, he saw a writhing, serpentine figure spiraling up from the depths of the sea… and upon its back was a human figure, but it wasn't human, nor was it Dragon Kin, as he could barely make out the details of what appeared to be fins along its arms and back.
The serpent, a leviathan, and its rider swiftly banked towards Sephtis through the water. A shockwave shot through the water and blew the large rock apart, releasing Sephtis as his body began to sink to the ground. The leviathan shot towards Sephtis, it's large talons wrapping about the dragon's torso and lifting him as it carried him to the water's surface.
After a moment, Sephtis began to reanimate, coughing up water as he began breathing in air, rain pelting down on him as he took king, raspy breaths that filled his burning lungs. For a time, the leviathan held him there until he recovered, and then it pushed him up, out of the water, where he was able to, after a fumbling moment, recover and hold himself in the air above the water.
In a daze, Sephtis's eyes scoured the water for his savior, but, he could not see anything within the dark depths. Whoever had saved him, they were now gone.
After wondered for a long moment about what he'd seen, and what had just happened, Sephtis remembered the situation he was in. 'Dagon…' he thought. He had to ignore what had just happened for now, and he needed to prioritize finding his rider.
— — —
"Well, Dragling? If you do not answer my questions…" the leviathan's jaws opened slightly with a hiss. "I will just kill you right now."
As the dark storm raged on around them, the waves crashing into the pillars of roach and spraying water into the air as rain hailed down from the dark sky above, Dagon drew in a deep breath, steeling his nerves. As the water beaded down his face and soaked his hair, which was now messy and wild, he decided that he would either live or die here, and he needed to make the best decision he had.
"I am here to find Liorria, the Dragon Goddess." Dagon said firmly, looking up into the serpent's eyes.
"Oh-hoh." The leviathan hissed with interest. "And how can you be so certain she wouldn't kill you just as soon as I would?"
"Because. I'm going to become the Dragon King." Dagon said confidently, clenching his fists and setting his jaw. He didn't look away from the leviathan, he felt that he had to show bravery and that, if he showed fear, he'd die.
"Really now?" The leviathan hissed, moving closer to Dagon as water ran down from its snout onto his head, its needle-like teeth just mere meters away from his face. "And what if I were to kill you right here and now? Would that not disprove of you being the 'Dragon King'?"
"And that would be your choice. But I ask that you let me live." Dagon said.
"And why is that?"
"Because. The dragon race is being enslaved by humans, who have been gaining more and more power. A Dragon Kin named Mourtas also intends to hatch Egg of Chaos, and bring an end to this world… I'm the only one who can stop him."
"And why do you assume that you are the only one with the power to deny this 'Mourtas' his goals? There are many in this world, how do you know there is not more than one candidate for Dragon King?" The leviathan reared back its head. Dagon found this to be a good thing, as he had managed to catch the creature's interest in a conversation, giving him time.
"Let's say you do kill me." Dagon spoke, "what if the Dragon Goddess finds out it was you, and that I was supposed to be he Dragon King? Do you not fear that she would kill you?"
"Kill me?" The leviathan hissed amusedly. "You do not know who I am, do you?"
"I'm not exactly educated in the ways of leviathans." Dagon answered.
Then, the leviathan raised higher out of the water as two massive talons rose from the water, slamming down on the platform Dagon stood up as it stared down at him. "Did you think that the Dragons were the only race with Gods?" The leviathan hissed. "My name.. is Leginoss, the last god of Leviathans."
Dagon shuddered, but he didn't want to show any sign of fear. He had to keep a cool head, or else he felt that he'd just be killed on the spot. It took all he had to not tremble or cower before the massive beast, his nails digging into his palm as the blood mixed with water, whilst his metal fingertips grinder against his iron palm.
The leviathan, Leginoss, hissed as it bent low towards Dagon. "Tell me, Dragling… do you fear me?"