A few hours after departing the island
[Narrator's POV]
As James and Lyra soared above the vast ocean, guided by the ancient compass, a quiet stillness settled over them. The world below was a breathtaking tapestry of life. Seabirds glided gracefully through the air, calling to one another across the wind, while schools of fish shimmered beneath the surface, their movements orchestrated like a living symphony in the crystalline waters.
Everything felt untouched, perfect—save for one glaring issue: the compass, for all its arcane precision, failed to indicate the distance to the nearest landmass.
"This might've been a mistake," James murmured, glancing over at Lyra. "We should've stayed closer to the water."
"By Gaia's grace, I told you we should have constructed a proper vessel," Lyra retorted, folding her arms midair. "But no, 'Let's fly,' you said. 'It'll be faster,' you said—"
[Narrator's POV]
ROAR.
The sea below erupted with ferocity, as though Poseidon himself had struck the ocean floor in fury. Towering waves rose, slamming against a shimmering golden barrier that surrounded a sleek vessel, runes of protection etched into its hull flashing as they absorbed the impact. The runes pulsed violently, struggling to maintain coherence under the onslaught.
Startled mid-flight, James halted. With Lyra still hovering near his shoulder, he swiftly conjured a mana barrier around them—a dome of translucent energy shielding them from the violent winds and water. He steadied his breath. His heart pounded with a mingling of awe and anxiety. These were the kinds of trials he'd imagined when he had chosen this world—a world of gods, legends, and monsters.
Then, the light on the horizon shifted. The sky darkened unnaturally, consumed by storm clouds that churned with thunder and streaks of blue lightning.
But it wasn't the storm that stole the breath of every sailor and skyborne traveler in range.
It was what emerged from the depths.
With a thunderous roar, the sea split open, and the Kraken rose.
The ancient beast, a leviathan from the age of myths, burst forth from the deep. Towering tentacles, thick as ship masts, writhed into the sky. Its skin, a dread canvas of dark emerald and violet, shimmered with a metallic sheen that betrayed an unnatural resilience. And then came its eyes—twin orbs glowing with malevolent intelligence, fixed not upon the sea or sky, but upon the vessel beneath it.
James's throat tightened. "Get ready. We might need to intervene."
Lyra gave a sharp nod, already weaving runes in the air with quick, practiced gestures. Magic sparked from her fingertips.
The Kraken lashed forward. A single tentacle crashed down, wrapping around the vessel's protective barrier like a serpent coiling around prey.
The ship responded immediately. Arcane turrets—elegant constructs embedded into its hull—fired beams of concentrated light, cutting through the storm to strike the beast's limbs with staggering precision. From the sides of the ship, harpoon launchers activated, their payloads tipped with explosive charges. They struck deep, detonating in bursts of fire and searing electricity that lit up the sea like midday sun.
But the Kraken did not retreat.
Aboard the vessel, chaos reigned—but not without order.
At the prow stood a tall woman clad in a suit fashioned from a silvery metal that mimicked fish scales, reflecting the battle's fury in flashes of blue and white. Her dark, wavy hair clung to her shoulders in the spray. She radiated both grace and command.
"Status report!" she barked, hands pressed firmly against a glowing pedestal, channeling raw mana into the ship's protective core.
"Captain Nerida!" an officer cried out, his voice barely audible over the clash of thunder and battle. "Energy shield integrity is failing. The shield will collapse in minutes, even with your mana reinforcing the crystal—"
CRACK.
A deafening silence fell.
Every eye turned toward the source of the sound.
The barrier—glowing, resilient, proud—had fractured.