The night was still. Bathed in the silvery glow of the moon, the night over the Blood Ocean was a study in tranquility. The air hung still, untouched by even the slightest breeze, creating an atmosphere of eerie calmness. The surface of the crimson sea mirrored the heavens above, its normally turbulent waters now transformed into a vast expanse of glassy stillness.
Rey Reed Smith stood at the helm of the Empire ship, which is now adorned with regal banners and sleek in its design. The ship sliced through the blood-red expanse, just like it had been doing for the past three days, and the only disturbance came from the rhythmic hum of its sails catching the perfect wind.
The ship moved with a grace that belied its size, propelled forward by the invisible hands of the night breeze. The sailors were taking a rest in a cabin since the wind was doing their job for them while Lucienne was controlling the ship's wheel
The moon, a luminous guardian in the sky, cast its silvery radiance upon the vessel, turning it into a majestic silhouette against the backdrop of the mysterious sea.
Rey Reed Smith, attuned to the hushed ambiance of the night, started to navigate the ship with a quiet sense of purpose. Besides, it was his turn to watch the night in case of pirates, rocks, or external threats. It was what they had been doing for the past three days.
Thankfully, the knights that Rey slaughtered had more than enough provisions in their ship that could last Rey and his crew for a month. Though the sailors had told him that if the wind kept helping them every night like this, they should reach the Arcadia Empire in the next few days.
The ship's bow cleaved through the sea's reflective surface, leaving behind a trail of shimmering ripples that betrayed its swift passage. The atmosphere aboard was one of anticipation, a subdued energy that resonated with the pulse of the ship itself.
Rey glanced beneath the ship to see the creatures of the Blood Ocean sense the approaching vessel. In a synchronous ballet of instinct, he watched as they fled from its path, their forms disappearing into the depths like shadows retreating from the advancing dawn.
The once formidable denizens of the blood-red sea, be they ethereal or monstrous, yielded to the majesty of the ship, recognizing it as a force beyond their understanding.
The night unfolded with surreal elegance as the Empire ship sailed on, its course unwavering. The moon, now a companion to the journey, continued to glint brightly, casting a celestial sheen upon the still waters. In this perfect convergence of wind and night, the ship sailed toward the horizon, leaving in its wake a serenity that belied the secrets hidden within the enigmatic Blood Ocean.
Lucienne came beside Rey and said, "They are beautiful creatures!"
He chuckled. "Beautiful? Just wait until you are trapped in their midst and let them define beauty for you."
Rey glances at her, and he notices that she looks pale and cold. He suddenly becomes worried, totally forgetting about the warning from the blood lord. He closed the little gap between them, reaching out with his palm to touch her chin.
He asked with a worried tone, "You looked sick; why?"
"Vampires of the Eternal Guardian Coven don't like water," she sighed, placing her hand on Rey's palm and rubbing it gently. As she did this, Rey felt some sort of connection and electricity running through his body.
Lucienne continued, "Apart from the fact that water makes us weak and vulnerable, it makes us sick and blocks our scent from the rest of our kind. This is the first time I'll be staying out on the sea for too long, and I'm growing weaker with each passing moment."
Rey retrieved his hand, turning around to stare at the horizon. "The sailors said we would reach the Arcadia Empire in a few days. I hope you reserve your strength and energy till then."
He turned to walk away when Lucienne's voice stopped him. "Where are you going?"
"To grab hold of the ship's wheel," he said. "We can't leave it like that."
She responded, "One of the sailors is there, so you have nothing to worry about."
"Then I have to return to my watch," Rey came up with another excuse, knowing that Lucienne didn't want him to leave.
To be truthful, he also feels like staying with her. He felt like spending the night with her, but Rey feared the Blood Lord and what he could do. He didn't want to provoke him again.
Lucienne came beside him and said, "You can tell me what's bothering you and about the blood lord. You can tell me about your past and how you lived your life before you found yourself in this dilemma. I want you to trust me."
Rey looked into her eyes and went straight into her soul, entering her mind and ransacking it. However, he was careful enough not to make her suspicious or dive into her secret.
He found the answer to his question and other things that he didn't want. It's another reason why he didn't like seeing into people's minds. But he had to make sure Lucienne could be trusted before he told her anything, so he wouldn't end up regretting it.
"Well," Rey shrugged. "It's a long story that involved a lot of running, thinking, killing, and betting."
Rey closed his eyes briefly as the memories flashed in his mind. Just when he opened his eyes to begin his past story, the ship rocked violently, throwing them off balance.
Lucienne went flying across the deck, sliding toward the edge of the boat. She quickly reached out with her hand to grab a pole, and Rey clung tightly to the pole, too.
Lucienne's hand slipped from the pole as the ship continued to shake vehemently, and Rey let go of his hand from the pole he was holding before leaping to catch her midway before she plunged into the ocean.
He gathered all his strength and used it to pull her up before he finally stood, and the ship stopped shaking.
Suddenly, the waters around the ship began to churn, creating turbulent waves that rocked the vessel. Rey Reed and Lucienne Vladislav exchanged nervous glances as an ominous shadow loomed beneath the surface.
And, from the depths of the blood ocean, emerged a monstrous creature, a grotesque fusion of squid and tentacled beast. Its colossal form rose, water cascading down its slimy, rubbery hide, and the ship was pushed backwards due to the force with which the beast emerged.
Glowing red eyes pierced the darkness, reflecting an otherworldly malevolence. The creature's tentacles, some longer than the ship itself, writhed and squirmed, reaching towards the surface with an insatiable hunger. Razor-sharp teeth lined its gaping maw, glinting ominously in the moonlight.
A deafening roar echoed across the ocean, a sound so powerful that it resonated like the collective roar of a million lions in a dense jungle. The ship quivered in response, its timbers groaning under the sheer force of the creature's voice. The two sailors who had also come to the deck of the ship, frozen in terror, clung to the railing as the very air seemed to vibrate with the creature's unearthly bellow.
With a swift and deliberate motion, the colossal creature coiled its long tail, twirling it through the water like a monstrous whip. The impact sent shockwaves through the ocean, causing the ship to rock violently. Waves surged in all directions as the creature thrashed its massive body, creating chaos in the once calm sea.
The smaller sea beasts, sensing the impending danger, scattered in panic, fleeing from the titanic menace that emerged from the depths. The once peaceful and calming atmosphere of the blood ocean transformed into a scene of primal terror, the air thick with the scent of fear as the massive creature continued its menacing display of power.
As the ship struggled to maintain its balance amidst the tumultuous waves, Rey and his companion stared in awe and horror at the colossal squid-tentacled behemoth, realizing they were at the mercy of a force beyond their comprehension. The glowing red eyes fixed on the vessel, promising destruction and chaos with every thrash of its monstrous form.
As the colossal creature emerged from the blood ocean's depths, revealing its full height and body, an eerie transformation gripped the atmosphere. The once serene night turned ominous, and an unnatural darkness enveloped the sky as if they dreaded this creature. The moon, a mere witness to the impending terror, struggled to cast its feeble glow through the thick, malevolent clouds that now obscured its celestial light.
The ship, now surrounded by an oppressive darkness, felt as if it had entered a realm beyond the grasp of sanity. Rey and his companion had terror attached to their faces, and they strained to see the monstrous form that had disrupted their peaceful voyage. The glowing red eyes of the creature became more pronounced, casting an unholy radiance that cut through the shadows like sinister beacons.
As if nature itself rebelled against the intrusion of this eldritch horror, the heavens opened up with torrential rain. Cold droplets pelted the ship's deck, mixing with the salty spray from the convulsing ocean. Everyone, drenched and shivering, clung desperately to the slippery wooden planks of the ship to avoid falling.
The rain intensified, blurring the line between sea and sky. Lightning slashed through the darkness, revealing glimpses of the creature's grotesque silhouette with each electrifying flash. The thunder that followed roared in harmony with the beast, creating a symphony of terror that echoed across the desolate expanse of the blood ocean.
Amidst the storm, the colossal creature continued its thrashing dance. Its tentacles, now glistening with a malevolent sheen, whipped through the air with deadly precision. The once rhythmic rocking of the ship now mirrored the chaotic fury of the sea, as if the creature's very presence had awakened a malevolent force in the heart of the blood ocean.
Paralyzed by fear and drenched to the bone, Rey and his crew could feel the ship quivering beneath them as if the wood holding it in place might scatter any moment from now. The atmosphere crackled with an unholy energy, the very air resonating with the power of the monstrous entity. The ship's timbers groaned under the relentless assault of wind, rain, and the creature's terrifying display.
The sea itself seemed to rebel against the intrusion; its once comforting embrace had now transformed into a tempestuous sea of dread. The glowing red eyes of the creature bore into the ship, staring directly at Rey and Lucienne Vladislav with an unholy gaze, promising doom.
As the lightning continued to flash and the thunder roared, Rey knew that they wouldn't be battling a massive creature alone but confronting a deadly force that defied the laws of nature.
Surprisingly, the blood ocean had become a realm of nightmares at the moment, and the ship sailed on the precipice of a harrowing abyss.
"What's this creature?" Rey asked, guiding the sailors and Lucienne back onto the ship. "Does anyone have any hints about it?"
The first sailor replied, "It's known as Cythrax the leviathan."
"No!" Lucienne gasped, her face turning more pale. "If it's indeed Cythrax the Leviathan, then we stand no chance of defeating it."
Rey turned to face her and said, "Listen, we can't conclude unless we attempt. Besides, everything has its weaknesses; we just need to explore them."
He paused and turned to face the sailors. "Did you have anything that can be used to fight or defeat this creature? Since you know about it, then you should have prepared for an attack like this."
The second sailor said, "Yes, a few other sailors have encountered it once, and unfortunately, none of them lived long. However, we have some equipment for hunting here on the ship; I don't know if it could hurt it."
Rey acknowledged, "Good!"
He faces Lucienne again; "Go with him and bring out the hunting equipment."
After giving the orders, he said to the first sailor, "Go and grab the wheel and make sure that we don't sink or get carried away by the disruption of the sea. I'll try and calm its mind; maybe it will listen to me."
The moment Rey finished talking, everyone swung into action.
The Leviathan, as if sensing their plan, rocked the water and swam toward the ship at great speed. Even in the darkness of the day, Rey could feel the beast's thoughts; it was not good at all.
To be continued.