The group's arduous journey led them to the desolate shores of the Shadowed Depths Sea, a place untouched by civilization and shrouded in a veil of mystery. As they gazed back, their eyes met the towering, titanic mountains that reached upward, almost seeming to graze the earthy stalactites of Sanguine. The jagged peaks stood like ancient sentinels, guarding the secrets of this remote corner of the Realm.
As Kaizer, Darcia, Lucius, and Gertrude approached the Shadowed Depths Sea, they initially considered creating their shadow wings to fly to their destination. However, upon reaching the sea's edge, they encountered a mysterious and powerful force field. This mystical barrier, created by an ancient and formidable enchantment, disrupted their ability to conjure and maintain their shadow wings, or do any sort of Shadow Magic at all. This was why no Vampire ever dared to cross the Shadowed Depths—for it was common knowledge that Noble Vampires and bodies of water did not mix, for if a Noble Vampire were to be submerged in natural saltwater, it would unbalance their hormones, and in turn cause them to become weak and powerless, rendering them vulnerable and unable to use magic. This allergy for water only applied to Noble Vampires; Common Vampires had no problem swimming.
Despite their innate abilities, the Vampires found themselves powerless against the barrier's influence. Their attempts to create shadow wings were met with resistance, as if the very essence of their magic was being sapped away by the magical barrier's energy.
Realizing that they had no choice but to traverse the sea, the group reluctantly turned to Gertrude's unique blood magic to create a vessel. With practiced ease, she retrieved a minuscule needle from behind her ear, a tiny instrument that seemed almost too delicate for the task at hand. She pricked her finger with it, and a single, glistening droplet of blood welled up and flowed smoothly down her fingertip.
With a graceful, unspoken command, Gertrude held out her hand toward the water, her bloodied finger pointing to the depths. In response, a vessel materialized before them, a boat constructed entirely of blood. The eerie crimson vessel seemed to pulsate and throb, as if it were a living entity struggling to hold its form together. Blood flowed and ebbed within its structure, in a perpetual dance of self-preservation.
As the boat hovered over the dark waters, blood dripped from its underside, merging seamlessly with the inky sea below. The boundaries between the blood and the water blurred, rendering them indistinguishable from each other. It was a haunting and surreal sight, a boat crafted from the very essence of life itself, a vessel that seemed to exist at the intersection of magic and the macabre.
The group, their expressions a mixture of awe and fear, stepped onto the crimson boat, placing their trust in Gertrude's knowledge and abilities. With the Shadowed Depths Sea stretching before them, they embarked on their voyage.
Lucius couldn't hide the genuine fear in his voice as he questioned Gertrude, "Gertrude... you said the task would be treacherous. What did you mean by that?" His gaze darted around the vast expanse of the Shadowed Depths Sea, uncertainty etched on his face. Kaizer, too, scanned the eerie waters, shrouded in an oppressive mist that obscured the surface, rendering it an enigmatic void.
Kaizer's attention sharpened at the subtle sound of a splash, like the eerie flop of a fish, echoing through the mist. He twitched, his eyes darting in the direction of the sound, his senses on high alert.
"Did anyone else hear that?" he asked, his voice hushed as if he feared whatever lurked below could hear them.
Darcia, her voice barely more than a whisper, inquired, "Hear what?"
"That sound, the splash. It sounds like something's in the water," Kaizer responded cautiously, mindful that they might not be alone in these mysterious depths.
Gertrude, however, seemed less concerned by their apprehension. She retorted impatiently, "Of course, there's something in the water, you dimwits, it's a sea! Now calm down. Sing a song or something! If not for my sake, then for Alessia's!"
Kaizer turned to Lucius. "Lucius, remember that song I taught you when we were in lunch? That one day that Alaric was actually wearing shorts and a hat for once? And I was making fun of him, calling him Ash Ketchum, and then I taught you guys the theme song from the show it came from?"
"Ohhhh, yeah, yeah, uh—" Lucius stammered. "Pokey-man."
"No," Kaizer replied, laughing. "Pokémon. You remember the song?"
"Oh yeah, how could I forget?" Lucius replied, a glint of sarcastic remembrance in his eyes.
Darcia raised her hand. "I remember!" She winked. Darcia hadn't even associated with their friend group at that time, but now her memories were linked to Kaizer's.
Kaizer grinned. As he began to sing the iconic Pokémon theme song, his voice rang out with cheerful cadence, joined in harmony by Lucius and Darcia. They clapped along, their spirits lifted even in the face of uncertainty.
"I wanna be the very best," Kaizer sang, his grin infectious. "That no one ever was!"
Lucius's voice blended seamlessly, adding to the chorus. "To catch them is my real test!"
Darcia's melodic voice completed the trio. "And to train them is my cause!"
Their voices crescendoed together, and they enthusiastically exclaimed, "POKÉMON!" as if holding up invisible Pokéballs in unison.
However, the joyous moment was abruptly shattered when a colossal sea monster shot from the surface of the water with unparalleled force. Its emergence shattered their blood-made boat into droplets, sending the group hurtling into the air.