"Shit!"
With the heavy winds caused by Skadi's ability, she foresaw that the waves would significantly enlarge - to the point where it would reach a few meters up. However, she did not see the sheer scale in which they've increased.
It's almost as large as a mountain! How is this possible?! She protested, staring east where the figure of the Leviathan could now be vaguely seen. If it weren't for the devastating storm caused by her winds, a normal naked eye could procure a vision of the terrifying thing.
It was at least a kilometer away now!
Even though their speed rapidly increased, the foreboding storm eventually made traversing through the ocean to be quite the hurdle.
The size of waves ranged from mounds and hills to mountains that can be seen in the far landscape.
Particularly, a mountain-sized wave is seen in the east, in its shadow, Poseidon chased.
This is the true nature of Poseidon Depths.
Skadi stared at her rocking ship, determining that they would not be fast enough to outmatch the Leviathan's pace. Once it made contact with them, the ship would be pulverized - battered to pieces of wooden planks and forever sunken in the depths.
She had to make a difference.
But what else could she do? When faced against a high-leveled Pathfinder, she is but an ant to an elephant. The levels of strength were incomparable!
Sure, accomplishing her ritual would eventually make her ascend to a Pathfinder of the lower level, but would she be able to fight then? Especially against a Dreadspawn Leviathan?
She was unsure.
So, Skadi was careful to avoid fights that she could not handle.
Running away is the best option as of right now. I should maintain consistency and remain resolute. I don't know how long it would take to get out of here but I'm sure it's close.
On her undercoat pocket, a compass lay bare, rotating around in a clockwise manner uncontrollable.
She would eventually run out of Zeal - the very essence of the world - then, when that moment comes, every one would succumb to their unruly ends. However, Skadi had one option left to ensure that they would stay alive. Yet it was risky, as she is only given one chance to utilize it. In times of peril, it was better to be safe and injured than dead!
I can't use that yet! It's not proper, I still haven't reached the climax!
So, she pushed through, her figure glowing against the darkness of the stormy seas. On any other occasion, this would attract many creatures from down below. But now, with the existence of the Leviathan pursuing them, no one dared to even rise up to the surface.
A second passed, and a loud crack reverberated through the storm.
It was the Leviathan's jaw! It shifted it once more.
This time, Skadi felt her entire body tremble! Not because of her discomfort but because of terror! Because of Dread!
If Dreadspawns had one thing in common, it is their widespread feeling of dread. Even though they differ in appearance and sizes, just the mere presence of one can bring an individual on the brink of losing their identity and control.
Skadi had encountered a number in the past so she knew the feeling all too well. But this time, it was more intense and every skincell, hair, pore, blood, and muscles screamed for her to let go of her human body and let the Zeal take over.
If she let that happen, then she would succumb to falling within Dread's shackles - turning into a Dreadspawn herself.
A minute passed and the Leviathan shifted its jaw once more. This time, a loud deafening crack echoed!
The noise traveled through the droplets of rain, escaping the green winds, and travelling through volumes of seawater. Her ears were deafened to the point where she wanted to cover them instantly!
Alas, she utilized the winds to cover the sides of her head - covering her ears from the terrorizing noise.
This is also the method to make her crew members safe. Simultaneously, she covered their ears with the winds so that they couldn't hear the agonizing screams of the Leviathan. Still, as it got closer, they would feel the vibrations and the noise would penetrate the winds protecting their hearing.
She thought of the poor depth-dweller boy.
He must be so confused by the sudden absence of hearing.
If only she were down there, she would comfort him and say that it would not last that long.
Skadi glanced back, noticing that the mountain-sized wave was less than a kilometer away.
The Leviathan had been in pursuit for almost 2-3 hours now!
She reached for neck and fondled a red-ruby brooch, "No, not yet..", Skadi raised her arms and commanded the winds once more. She pushed through the treacherous waves, retaining a fast pace.
Then, the winds carried a gun with a cannon-sized barrel, Skadi grabbed the gun's handle with her right hand and turned around while keeping the winds pushing.
Then, the clouds, and rain drops seemed to get pulled inside the cannon-sized barrel
It spun rapidly until green sparks emanated from within.
Keeping the winds in check, Skadi aimed with her right hand, facing towards the mountain-sized wave on the east.
Her blonde hair fluttered, her clothes swayed, and her entire figure was wet due to the storm. Still, Skadi remained stoic, focusing on gathering as much material inside her gun.
"Windslinger!" Skadi called the name of her weapon! As if instantly, the green sparks formed into a condensed ball of lightning, rapidly changing into a blue hue.
Suddenly, the winds went silent, the clouds covered the skies yet no droplets fell, the seas raged with mountainous waves, but everything seemed tranquil.
In an instant, a bolt of lightning bounced 3 times with 200-300 meters in between. Then, it reached the mountain-sized wave, vibrating the liquid in the area and vaporizing gallons! The wave fell apart and cascaded back down, however.. the figure of the Leviathan was revealed in all of its glory!
It stood atop the raging waves, staring west - towards the green light in the distance. However, almost immediately, another lightning bolt followed through, this time, hitting the Leviathan at the chest. Which.. did nothing at all!
It merely stood there with its scaly bottom, tanking the hot attack!
Skadi's eyes widened, her mouth was left agape.
Nothing at all?!
She had expected too much. She rounded up another shot, but her face suddenly contorted in pain. Her eyes captured the Leviathan's head - its face!
It was smiling, creaking its teeth and shifting its jaw. A skinless, humanoid face with nothing but a convoluted head made up of a dark-colored eye with red pupils and teeth that seemed to break with every shift. A hollow hole in the middle, resembling the area of the nose. Now, that disfigured face, figure! Was smiling! As if mocking Skadi and her feeble attack!
Then, for a fraction of a second, the humanoid figure vanished!
Skadi felt her heart race.
Her eyes glowed viridian-green, and she gazed east, below the surface.
..there was nothing there.
As if nothing had chased them for hours, the Leviathan suddenly vanished, leaving a lasting impression on Skadi's mind.
Then, she heard a voice.
A voice so disfigured, so..rash, so rough. It seemed like one's throat was being slashed by ten nails - peeling of the skin and muscles.
A voice so..Dreadful.
"Foolish Child".
Her eyes suddenly shut down, and her whole body fell down the depths. The brooch on her neck glowed bright red, illuminating everything in the surroundings and enveloping the people inside the ship.
Skadi, who was unconscious, vanished, seemingly like she was never there in the first place. Her crew members, including Cetas, too, had disappeared. As the ruby light enveloped their bodies, all that remained was but a mere speck of red dust and a radiant light flickering.
A lone ship traversed the Poseidon Depths, filled with remnants of a crew that once harbored it.
Underneath the ship was an imposing humanoid shadow. Upon a few moments, a mouth with broken teeth ascended from below, consuming the ship and crushing it in one second. Then, the shadow vanished, leaving nothing but an empty, calm sea above.
With one glance, the waters seemed usually fine. It is as if it were a normal sea where sailors would traverse.
The winds blew, and the clouds parted, revealing a ray of sunshine reflecting upon the cascading waters.
In the Poseidon Depths, one considered to be the most treacherous, nothing happened.
Nothing at all..