The ship that would take them to the Eternal Island was a sturdy vessel, with large white linen sails that glimmered under the sun. Despite being a warship, its hull seemed designed to cut through the waters elegantly, with a slight incline that gave it a majestic air. Ryuu, Kara, and Talon were aboard, among the other passengers also heading to the tournament, but the atmosphere was far from friendly. There was tension in the air, a palpable sense that each one of them was another competitor, not a fellow traveler.
The ship slowly began to pull away from the port, and Ryuu leaned against the railing, gazing at the horizon, where the waters stretched out infinitely. The wind blew gently, but something about the air felt different. It wasn't just the sea breeze; there was something more—a strange pressure he couldn't quite understand.
Kara approached him, her gaze fixed on the sea but her demeanor distant.
"Are you ready for what's coming?" she asked gravely.
Ryuu nodded, though doubts still lingered within him. The tournament was something he had heard about, but he never imagined he'd experience it so closely. Moreover, Talon's words echoed in his mind: "The tournament isn't just a tournament." What did that mean? What was truly at stake?
Before he could respond, Talon appeared beside them, his face serious as he observed the clouds gathering on the horizon.
"A storm is coming," he said, looking up at the sky. "What we've seen so far is just the beginning. Let's not underestimate what lies ahead."
Ryuu looked at the dark clouds forming quickly. The once gentle wind was now growing stronger, and the temperature began to drop. It was as if nature itself was warning them of something.
"I don't like this," Kara muttered, gripping her sword more firmly.
The ship's captain, a man whose face was weathered by years at sea, appeared on deck, shouting orders to the sailors to secure the sails and prepare the ship for what seemed to be an unstoppable storm.
"All hands on deck! Time is not on our side!" the captain yelled, urgency lacing his voice.
The ship began to sway gently, but the wind was intensifying. Ryuu clung to the railing as the first raindrops fell. The sea grew restless, and the waves quickly rose, slamming against the hull with force.
"This isn't normal!" Talon exclaimed, ducking to avoid a large wave.
Ryuu closed his eyes, letting the wind envelop him. He felt a strange connection to the air around him, but the chaos was overwhelming. His hands trembled as he tried to steady himself, and the wind began to respond with uncontrollable force. A violent gust surged around him, pushing the ship and sweeping away sailors struggling to keep it on course. The sails flapped wildly before tearing under the strain, while the waves battered the hull, threatening to sink the ship.
"Ryuu, stop this!" Kara shouted, running toward him, but the wind held her back.
Ryuu tried to focus, but the pressure of the storm was crushing. The gusts didn't just lash the ship—they trapped him, and he felt his power spiraling out of control.
"Ryuu, control the wind!" Talon yelled as he fought against ropes swinging dangerously.
Desperately, Ryuu closed his eyes and focused all his energy on his power. He knew that if he couldn't master the wind, everything on the ship—including them—could be destroyed. He took a deep breath, recalling his aunt's teachings, the times he had practiced in the fields, controlling his anger and channeling his power. It was now or never.
The wind around him began to calm slowly, as if responding to his attempt at control. The violent gusts started to subside, and the ship stopped rocking as violently. The storm still raged, but Ryuu's fragile control was beginning to stabilize the situation.
"That's it!" Kara shouted with a sigh of relief. "You're doing it!"
However, the storm showed no mercy. The sky seemed to grow angrier, and the air grew thick with energy. Ryuu realized this wasn't a natural phenomenon. Something—or someone—was manipulating the weather with far greater power than he could control.
"This isn't a normal storm," Talon said gravely. "There's something behind this, and I don't know if we'll get out of it unscathed."
The ship began to falter under the wind's strength, and the storm intensified, as if someone were unleashing their full power on them. The clouds swirled above, forming a spiral of darkness that consumed the sky.
Ryuu, struggling to stay on his feet, tried to channel all his power. He felt the wind no longer merely responding to his will but consuming him. The storm had been unleashed by something—or someone—else, and he was merely a pawn in this chaos. With an immense effort, he raised his hands, trying to divert the wind with everything he had.
"I can't hold on!" he cried, exhaustion taking its toll.
Suddenly, in the midst of the storm, something strange happened. A presence, like a vortex of energy, formed in front of him, and in an instant, the wind Ryuu had been controlling vanished. The storm, as if it had found its purpose, abruptly stopped. The waves began to calm, and the sky, though still overcast, steadied.
But the worst was yet to come. Ryuu felt a deep chill—something in the air had changed. The calm following the storm was only temporary. Something far darker and more dangerous was lurking, and their journey to the Eternal Island had only just begun.