Morvain carefully considered his response. He could lie and tell her that the society is fine as it is now, that there's no need for change. However, he was also wary of her ability.
She's an Awakened, that is for sure. But he doesn't know if she has become an Enlightened or not. Not just her, but anyone on the ship could be an Enlightened. If any one of them possessed an ability that could somehow discern if someone was telling a lie, then he was dead.
But he wasn't too scared about that, just wary. Enlightened ones would reveal themselves to the Highborns. They don't hide in the shadows. They don't work behind the curtains. They are proud.
So, she can't be one.
Her crystal blue eyes were trained on him, waiting for any type of reaction, as if she was carefully observing the muscles of his face.
'She's better than I thought.'
"Cough-cough... My lady, if I—"
Before he could continue, a loud horn suddenly blew. It was a deep and powerful sound, one that could pierce through the noise of the ocean.
Both Morvain and Lumiere were startled, their attention drawn back to the deck as Captain Orion ran from the cabin, clutching a curved horn in his hands.
He blew it again and shouted, "Something's under the water. We're being attacked!"
'Attacked? By whom?'
Morvain didn't have to think much about that as he heard a deep grumbling from somewhere, and the ship suddenly began to sway left and right, left and right.
Water rose, spilling over the railings and washing away. Morvain was about to be swept away from the ground when Lumiere suddenly caught him with her hand, her other hand tightly grabbing the railing for support.
"I'll pull you now!" she shouted, and he nodded.
He watched her pulling him, then heard a sound that could chill him to the bone. It was like a whale but louder, like a beast.
It came from below the ship, and Morvain was terrified.
"Tighten your legs, Eldric! Tighten them!" Lumiere shouted, and he immediately followed her command.
As the ship swayed more and more, panic spread among the passengers, their voices adding to the chaos.
A sudden rumbling was followed by the ship leaning back. Without warning, it began to tilt to the rear. Lumiere instinctively pulled him close, and he, in turn, clung to the railing as if his very life depended on it.
It did.
Both Morvain and Lumiere found themselves in the same position as they felt the wind blowing on their faces, and then there was a sudden weightlessness, as if gravity had been turned off.
He felt something from behind, something from the sea.
And then he saw it. A large shadow cast over him. It was huge. It was big. It loomed over the ship, casting an ominous darkness.
He turned his head.
In the obscurity, he saw something large, dark, and long. It rose above the ship, longer than anything he had ever seen, and he stared at it as if beholding a monster from storybooks. The air became heavy with a sense of foreboding.
He hadn't time to notice, but now the heavens wept with rain and roared with thunder. It was as if the elements themselves were bearing witness to the impending carnage of the creature, as if it were its champion.
"--dric," a hard hand gripped his shoulder. He turned to see Lumiere trying to shout something amid the creature's grumbling and the thunder.
Unable to hear her, he strained to understand. "What?" he shouted back.
"It's gonna tip! Hold on tightly!"
'Tip?' He looked around.
He witnessed Captain Orion clutching the ropes tightly around the mast, desperately holding on for his life. Shouting orders to the crew, the ship was unusually dark, with all lights extinguished, casting an ominous shadow over the scene. People scrambled to grab anything within reach to anchor themselves. Unfortunately, some were not as fortunate.
"It won't tip," he shouted back at her, and by the look on her face, he was sure she heard him.
It wasn't going to tip, but if anything, the ship was going to break. So much he wanted to do, and here he was.
Lumiere was about to shout something back when he quickly grabbed her face with one hand, tilting it towards the behemoth of a tentacle raised above the crying clouds.
Her jaw dropped as she saw the thing. She only muttered a single word, seeing the monstrosity that loomed above them.
"Kraken..."
He didn't hear her, but he read her lips and understood what she was talking about.
A Kraken.
The beast that was said to be the size of an island. The beast that was said to destroy an entire fleet in one attack. The beast that was said to kill everything in the sea.
And there it was, its massive tentacle looming over them like a dark executioner, dripping with an otherworldly darkness that seemed to swallow the moonlight. The air became heavy with a bitter smell, a mix of saltwater and the stench of death that sent shivers down their spines. The low hum of the creature's eerie call echoed through the ship, creating a chilling melody of impending doom.
She gazed at him as if it might be the last time they'd see each other. Her eyes held a playful twinkle, as if she knew all his secrets. Morvain sensed she was about to say something impactful. She then parted her lips, producing no sound but a silent message written on them:
"The master you are serving is not the real one."
They locked eyes, the splash of water on her face doing nothing to break their gaze. Morvain pondered her words. Her eyes had a strange glow on them, like a lone star in a lightless night.
'Master? What master? Nolan?'
Numerous questions swirled in his mind, but her eyes held him captive. Then, unexpectedly, she reached out, gently caressing his cheeks. "And thank you. Thank you for everything, master."
'What the hell is going on—'
Suddenly, another low grumble echoed, and the behemoth collapsed. Massive tentacles began descending, casting a terrifying shadow over the ship. The air grew heavy with fear. Without hesitation, the colossal limbs crashed onto the vessel with powerful force, causing the ship to tremble.