The sun was sinking, painting the skies in pink and periwinkle hues. Long shadows cast across the pristine waters in the realm of Sinagthala. Yael, a fisherman with a trickle of sweat on his temple, sighed and shook his head in disappointment. His day had not been bountiful, so he started coiling the rope of his net, even though he had barely snagged a fish to call it a day. As he was about to row his small boat, dead fish of various kinds began to float, turning from scarce to plentiful. The waters below the boat started to bubble, and the atmosphere grew eerie and misty.
At the peculiar sight, Yael's heart pounded with fear. He has spent his entire life in this sea, but he never once encountered a phenomenon like this before. An orb glowing like the sun, but white instead of yellow, was rising towards the surface. The water surged with a tenacious wave that nearly flipped his boat over. Fortunately, he managed to keep it upright. Yael was overwhelmed with terror, his hands trembling as he grabbed the paddles and maneuvered his boat back to shore in Sinagthala.
The twilight's cerulean shade canopied the town of Sinagthala as Kael docked his boat with a worried heart. He rushed through the streets with cold sweat, his heavy footsteps echoing off the walls.
Yael quickly made his way to the Emir's quarters, his heart still throbbing in his chest. He took a deep breath, raised his right hand, and knocked on the wooden door, hoping someone would open it and hear his desperate plea. His panting symbolized not just the exertion from running, but also the anxiety of being ridiculed once he shared his preposterous experience.
The sound reverberated through the house, and after a moment, the door creaked open. The Emir, Akkainu, stood in the doorway, his tall physique framed by the light of the lamp behind him. His eyebrows furrowed as he was not expecting a visitor at this time of night, especially not a troubled man.
"Yael?" Akkainu's gruff voice cut through the silence. "What brings you here at this late hour?"
Yael, catching his breath, struggled to put into words what he had witnessed. "Emir," he finally uttered, "I saw something... something strange at sea."
"What is it, Yael? Spit it." Akkainu said, tilting his head in confusion.
Yael, trying to compose himself, slowly filled his lungs. "The water... it was bubbling, Emir. And there were dead fish everywhere, floating on the surface. It was violent. I've never seen anything like it in all my years," he added, fuming with concern. "It was like... like something was boiling underneath. But that's not all...", he paused. "Beneath it... there was this thing, perhaps an orb glowing. A very strong light, like a heartbeat, pulsing with an energy that made the waves almost flip my boat over. Is this a bad omen, Emir?"
Emir Akkainu's expression was one of disbelief. Yael's testimony paralleled the ancient tales he'd read in books—tales of mythical creatures hidden beneath the ocean's depths. Tales of the Mythical Egg, possessing immense power and sought after by those who dared to dream of wielding such might, were said to appear only once in a thousand years.
Akkainu knew the threat this information posed if leaked to the people of Sinagthala, so despite the hint of apprehension, he maintained his composure. He summoned one of his handmaids to offer warm tea to the frightened fisherman.
"This is not to be taken lightly," Akkainu declared, with his firm voice. "We must investigate this at once."
He strode towards the door, with Yael trailing behind and hardly taking a sip from the teacup. "Come with me," Akkainu instructed.
Akkainu advanced to the Knights' barracks, which was structured similarly to a dragon's wings, with Douglas fir walls featuring intricate carvings. He briefed his two most trusted knights, Kiko and Kino, on the situation. Their faces mirrored his own mix of wonder and apprehension.
"The Mythical Egg?" Kino breathed, his eyebrow raised. "But that's just a legend..."
"It seems legends have a way of becoming reality," Akkainu replied. "We must retrieve it before it falls into the wrong hands."
Kiko and Kino gave a firm nod, tightening the grip of their swords. "We'll be ready in a moment, Emir," Kino asserted.
"Yael will guide us to the location. Let's pray we're not too late."
Within minutes, Akkainu, Kiko, and Kino, along with Yael, were on their way to the harbor. The moon emitted a dim light on the water, adding ominousness to the scene, and a sense of anticipation hung heavy in the air. They were venturing into the unknown under the stillness of the night, drawn by the allure of a legend.
The small fishing vessel glided through the moonlit waters, sails billowing in the night breeze. Akkainu stood at the bow and shifted his weight to lean. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, where Yael had testified that the strange phenomenon occurred. The silence was broken only by the creaking of the boat and the gentle lapping of the waves.
"It should be somewhere around here," Yael said, his voice barely audible, pointing to a patch of water ahead.
"As they approached, the bubbling grew more intense, the water churning and frothing as if a cauldron were boiling beneath the surface. The stench of dead fish became more pungent, a grim reminder of the unnatural forces at play.
Akkainu, his heart pounding in his chest, drew his sword, and the bluish blade glinted in the dusky light. "Stay alert", he hissed to his companions. "We don't know what we're dealing with."
Kiko and Kino nodded, their weapons ready. Yael, though unarmed, gripped the railing of the boat tightly, turning his knuckles white. These men sharpened their senses, remaining vigilant to the potential dangers around them.
Suddenly, the water erupted in a violent surge, revealing a sight that took their breath away. The boat rocked violently, throwing them off balance. They held onto the railings, their eyes widening in astonishment. The glowing orb Yael had described, pulsating with an otherworldly luminance, hovered in the air, rising to their eye level.
The iridescent shell shimmered with an ethereal glow, casting shadows of layered shades on the faces of the onlookers. It seemed to breathe, expanding and contracting with a rhythmic pulse that echoed the heartbeat of the sea itself.
It was a sight both beautiful and terrifying, a testament to the raw power and mystery hidden beneath the waves. The enigma of ancient history had revealed its brilliance to a leader of the human realm as if sending a warning to those who dared.
"It's beautiful," Kiko murmured, his voice filled with wonder.
"And powerful," Akkainu added, his eyes locked on the hovering Mythical Egg. "We must proceed with caution."
Akkainu, his heart racing with growing marvel, reached out a tentative hand toward the egg. He hesitated, sensing a power beyond his comprehension.
"Can we even touch it?" Kiko whispered, his voice trembling but maintaining a fierce expression.
Yael, his gaze never leaving the egg, shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted with ambiguity. "But I fear there's a price to be paid for such power. We're not certain why it is showing up now, to us. Are we even worthy to be in its presence?"
Akkainu withdrew his hand, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. The ancient tales spoke of trials and sacrifices associated with the Mythical Egg. Was it truly worth the risk?
Suddenly, the egg began to descend gently toward the turbulent water. Panic flashed across Akkainu's face.
"It's slipping away!" he exclaimed.
Akkainu, caught off guard, lost his balance and tumbled overboard, splashing into the cold water below. A collective gasp escaped the others, their eyes searching the dark water for any sign of their Emir. Adding to their alarming situation, the clouds deliberately obscured the moonlight, making it even more difficult to locate him.
Akkainu surfaced with a sputter, his armor weighing him down. He flailed his arms, struggling to stay afloat.
"Emir!" Kino cried out, reaching for him. The boat was rocking violently, and seawater was already flooding in.
But before anyone could react, the egg, as if drawn to vulnerability and his desperate need in a moment of crisis, began to envelop Akkainu in its ethereal glow. A jolt of energy coursed through his veins, leaving him breathless. A voice, ancient and transcendent, spoke in his mind, "You stand before a power beyond reckoning. To claim this egg and might it bestows, a sacrifice must be made. Name the one you cherish most, and the egg shall be yours. But heed this warning: Upon them, a curse shall befall, entwined with a gift. The threads of fate are yours to weave."
Akkainu's heart sank. The weight of the choice pressing upon him was suffocating. The allure of the egg's power was undeniable. "But the cost..." These words slipped from his mouth. His mind flashed to the image of his son, his bright eyes and contagious laughter. Could he condemn his own flesh and blood to a cursed fate, even if it meant saving countless others? A pang of guilt crawled in.
The silence was deafening; each second felt like an eternity. A tear rolled down his cheek, a manifestation of the internal struggle blazing within him. As he gazed at the moon as it slowly peeked through the clouds, finally, with a sob and a silent plea for forgiveness, he whispered his son's name, "Karrim."
A wave of remorse and despair washed over him, threatening to drown him in its abysmal depths. He closed his eyes, unable to move, bracing himself for the consequences of his choice. The egg's light intensified, erupting in a blinding flash that pierced through the darkness. The sea around them churned violently, the boat tossed and turned like a toy. Thunder suddenly roared, combined with flickers of lightning. A tremor, deep and unsettling, shook the very foundations of the ocean floor, sending shockwaves rippling through the water.
The sudden upheaval startled the knights and Yael, causing their grips to tighten on the boat's railing and gunwale. Yael, his face pale, looked on in horror as the sea raged around them.
Miles away, in the realm of Luwalhat'ti, a lone figure stood atop a cliff, his eyes narrowed as he scanned the vast horizon. He was a spy, sent by Gat Lakkan to monitor any unusual activity in Sinagthala. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light caught his attention. It came from the direction of the west sea, a beacon that cleaved the night sky. Moments later, he felt the quake beneath his feet, the ground rumbling ominously.
His heartbeat quickened. He saw how the light appeared from a distance. He felt the earth shudder. This could only mean one thing-something of immense power had been awakened in the depths of the sea.
The spy turned back and fled, hurriedly heading to Gat Lakkan, his king. He had no knowledge of the Mythical Egg, nor of the sacrifice that had just been made by their rival. But he knew enough. He had witnessed a display of power that could reshape the balance of the realms within Wyrmpire. And he knew that Gat Lakkan, with his insatiable thirst for dominion, would stop at nothing to claim it.