The speedboats were stopped in the Foam Shallows, their hulls cracked by the crows' viscous liquid and the fierce whirlpool. The strong smell of burnt oil rose into the damp air. Torv hammered the engines, the clang of metal echoing with his grumbles. "This stench is worse than a rotting carcass! Hold on, these engines'll roar soon," he growled, landing a blow that made the hoarse rumble pulse to life. Kain, the Hot Bracelet vibrating on his wrist, stared at the horizon with a crooked smile. "Yariv took Selya that way. How long, Torv? Or are you gonna fix this 'til we're fish bait?" Lirien, at the bow, spun her spear with a sharp gaze, the Gold Medallion warm in her pocket. "This fog's thickening fast, Kain. Scared of getting lost or just messing up your boots?" Kain laughed dryly. "If I get lost, Lirien, it's 'cause you didn't yell 'danger' loud enough." Vael peeked at the dark waves, twirling a dagger between his fingers. "If these waves stir more, I'll jump in with my daggers to say hi!" Sira tested her bowstring, her keen eyes piercing the breeze. "Keep watch. My bow's ready for anything cutting through this fog." Toren, beside her, rested his giant sword on his shoulder. "Let 'em come already. My blade's wanting to slice someone."
A sharp hum tore through the silence — new black skiffs emerged from the fog, reinforcements from Yariv's crows sent to delay the chase while he fled with Selya. Arrows flew, swift and silent, aiming for the freshly repaired engines. Kain pulled the oceanic Ruby Jewel from his pocket, which glowed red and transformed into the Ruby Sword, humming with energy. He spun his wrist, slashing the air — crimson arcs shone, deflecting a rain of arrows. "Don't let these clowns touch the speedboats!" he shouted, feet steady against the swaying deck. Sira reacted instantly, an arrow flying from her bow and striking a crow's shoulder, dropping him with a muffled cry. Torv dropped his hammer and grabbed a wrench, hurling it hard — the metal clanged against a skiff's hull. Toren charged, his giant sword slicing the air in a wide arc, its whistle driving back two crows trying to close in. Vael laughed, spinning a dagger between his fingers before throwing it — it sank into an enemy oar, snapping it in half. "No rowing for you, idiots!" he taunted, already grabbing another.
The crows pressed harder. One shouted from a skiff, pointing at the engines, and another rain of arrows came. One hit the floating wreckage near Lirien's speedboat, breaking rotten wood. Something fell from the shattered plank — a wrinkled diary, its pages fluttering in the damp breeze. Lirien snatched it with a quick move, eyes wide. "Found something in the wreckage! Let's see if Yariv left his plan written down," she said with a provocative smirk, stuffing the diary in her pocket as an arrow whizzed past her head. Kain snorted, slicing another arrow midair. "If it's his diary, I hope he wrote 'I'm an idiot' on the cover." The group had no time to laugh — the crows surged, forcing them to fight back. Sira fired another arrow, Toren swung his sword, and Kain cut through the air with the Ruby Sword, red arcs lighting up the fog. Vael tossed another dagger, chuckling as a crow stumbled back. Torv, back on deck, punched the air with a roar, shoving a skiff away as it got too close.
The fight dragged on for tense minutes until the crows' skiffs pulled back, their arrows falling uselessly into the water, engines damaged or spirits broken. The group caught their breath, silence settling over the Shallows. Lirien seized the moment, pulling the diary from her pocket with a defiant look. "Time to see what Yariv's scheming. Get your ears ready, boys," she said, flipping open the soggy pages. The group gathered, still worn out, as she read aloud: "Yariv hunts relics to awaken Tashkivor in the foamy wreckage, a ritual for the depths. Each relic holds a distinct power, and he keeps the girl Selya, who draws them, as the key to his plan." Kain flashed a sarcastic half-smile. "Selya's his key, and the Bracelet makes me sharper than him. What else do these trinkets do, Lirien?" She spun the Gold Medallion between her fingers, her tone taunting. "The Medallion gave me winds to shut up fools. The Collar and Brooch must have something to impress you, Kain — if you can handle the heat." He laughed dryly. "If the Brooch lets me laugh at fire, I'll manage. Test those things already." Sira raised an eyebrow, bow still in hand. "So we've got weapons he doesn't expect. Let's turn his game upside down."
Before they could plan further, a figure leapt from a smaller skiff — a lone spy, his Hot Ring glowing red on his finger, voice sharp as a blade: "Shimon wants that diary for himself!" He flicked his wrist with deadly precision, launching a throwing star straight at Lirien's hand, aiming for the diary. Kain reacted in a blink, the Hot Bracelet pulsing as he threw himself forward in a red blur. With a deft hand, he snatched the diary midair, spinning to land a solid punch on the spy's face. "Nice try, genius," he said with sarcasm, as the man staggered back, boots slipping on the wet deck. The spy grunted and swung back, but Kain ducked low, planting a swift kick in his chest, shoving him against the skiff's edge with a dull thud. The spy stumbled, the blow knocking the wind out of him, but no blood or pained groan — just Kain's raw agility.
The spy got up, a crooked grin on his face, and tossed a flaming bottle that burst into flames near the deck. "Fast, huh? Let's see if you can handle this!" He aimed the Hot Ring, a twisted gust feeding the fire toward the group. Lirien spun the Gold Medallion between her fingers, a tight whirlwind bursting out with a provocative smile. "You'll need more than a breeze to catch me, rat!" The spy's wind turned back on him, scattering the flames aside and filling his eyes with fog and salt. Sira readied an arrow, her bow taut, but the spy darted between the speedboats, quick as a shadow. Toren charged with a roar, his giant sword slashing the air in a strike that forced the spy to leap back, while Vael hurled a dagger that grazed the enemy's shoulder, pinning his hood to the skiff for a moment. "Stay there, you slimy rat!" Vael laughed, grabbing another blade.
The spy broke free, eyes blazing with fury. He spun another throwing star toward Lirien, the metal humming through the air. The group tightened their circle — the threat was real. Lirien clutched the diary to her chest and shouted: "Sira, grab the Collar and show him!" She tossed the Golden Collar across the deck. Sira caught it midair, slipping it around her neck — the fog and water around her parted as if pushed by an unseen force, clearing her sight. "Perfect!" she yelled, firing an arrow that zipped past the spy's head, making him duck. Lirien kept going, voice sharp: "Toren, take the Brooch and laugh at his fire!" She yanked the Silver Brooch from her belt and threw it to him. Toren caught it with one hand, pinning it to his shirt — the nearby flames' heat didn't touch him, the Brooch glowing as he advanced, a shield against fire wrapping around him. He laughed deep, sword raised. "Burn yourself first, weakling!" The spy recoiled, his fire useless against Toren.
Kain left no room for escape. He slashed the air with the Ruby Sword, a brilliant red arc splitting the spy's wind in two. "Game over, clown!" he shouted, the blade steady and gleaming in his hands. The spy snarled, his Hot Ring trembling on his finger, but Sira's arrow flew true, nearly hitting his hand, while Toren pressed forward, untouched by the flames licking the deck. "Shimon's game's bigger than Yariv's — you're just pawns!" he spat, leaping back to his boat. With a quick flick, he started the engine, the skiff slicing through the fog as he fled, limping and cursing under his breath.
Torv wiped sweat from his brow, the engines purring under his calloused hands. "Almost forgot to mention," he grunted, pulling a crumpled letter from his pocket. "Gorm sent this back at the cove. Says he's waiting near the Shadowy Abysses for us to make a plan. Figured it was time to speak up." Kain nodded, the Ruby Sword reverting to the oceanic Ruby Jewel, which he pocketed. "Good timing, old man. At least someone's thinking around here."
A low roar tore through the fog, shaking the rocks beneath the wreckage. The waves rose in dark peaks, and a loud roar echoed — Tashkivor, the monster sealed in the depths of the Tempestamic Ocean, still bound. The speedboats rocked, engines straining against the current. Kain gripped the helm, eyes locked on the sound's direction, sarcasm still in his voice. "Yariv's got Selya, Shimon's got his tricks, and that thing's waking up. Let's head to the Shadowy Abysses before the sea swallows us — or Lirien whines I didn't warn her." She laughed, taunting. "If I whine, Kain, it's 'cause you sank the speedboats on purpose." The group braced themselves, engines roaring as they cut through the foam toward Gorm, the diary heavy in their hands like a warning, the sea growling a threat at their backs.