We made our way to the beach, walking because the carriage was broken.
Its wheels had jamd completely, refusing to turn no matter how hard we tried.
Sparks had even flown from the axle when soone had given it a particularly strong shove.
The heat of the day was still lingering in the sand and pavent, making the journey slow, each step heavier than the last.
I could feel the sun pressing down on my shoulders.
Sweat starting to bead at my temples, and yet, sohow, the beach seed worth every step.
Elaris walked beside , his small fra straining to keep pace.
His steps were uneven, so faster, so slower, and I could see him starting to tire.
The warm afternoon air slled faintly of earth and grass, mixed with the tang of the sea that grew stronger as we neared the coast.
At one point, he let out a deep sigh, and I could see the weariness in his eyes.
He didn’t even complain, he just slowed.
His head dipping forward as if gravity itself were heavier on him than on anyone else.
Without a word, I bent down and gestured for him to climb onto my shoulders.
He hesitated for only a mont before hoisting himself up.
Then wrapping his thighs lightly around my head to steady himself.
His little hands rested on my chest, gripping loosely, and he let out a soft hum of satisfaction.
"This... is easier," he said, his voice muffled slightly but still clear.
I laughed softly, adjusting him so he sat comfortably.
There was sothing undeniably calming about the weight of him perched there, trusting completely.
We resud our walk, slower now, my steps careful and asured to ensure he didn’t slip.
Every so often, he leaned forward slightly, his chin brushing the top of my head.
His presence was warm, familiar, and strangely grounding, like a heartbeat against my own.
Finally, after a long stretch that felt both endless and fleeting, we reached the beach.
The mont we stepped onto the sand, the sea breeze struck us, cool and bracing.
It carried the scent of salt, the faint tang of seaweed, and the endless expanse of water stretching toward the horizon.
The sun shone low, bathing everything in a soft, golden light that made the wet sand glimr.
Seabirds wheeled overhead, calling to each other in shrill, cheerful cries.
The beach itself was empty, save for our small group.
Just sand stretched endlessly, warm and soft underfoot, waiting for us to make our mark.
I kicked off my shoes, letting the warm grains slip between my toes.
The girls did the sa, laughing as they pressed their bare feet into the sand.
They walked, leaving small footprints that the tide would eventually wash away.
Elaris remained on my shoulders, unmoving, perched there as though he were the ruler of this tiny, sun-drenched kingdom.
I could feel his small weight shift as he adjusted, leaning slightly forward.
His hands resting lightly on my chest.
I began walking along the shoreline, letting the warm sand slide underfoot.
Each step felt grounding, each breath of sea air filling my lungs with a rare clarity.
My eyes softened, taking in the simple beauty of the waves glinting in the sunlight.
The air was cool but not cold, brushing my face and ruffling Elaris’ hair gently.
Turning around, I caught Elaris adjusting his tiny sunglasses, flashing a thumbs-up.
"All good," he said, and I laughed. The gesture was small.
But... it felt aningful, a reassurance that he was content and enjoying the mont.
anwhile, the girls had already begun constructing a sandcastle.
Their hands scooped and pressed the sand into towers and walls, shells and driftwood placed with careful precision as decorations.
There was laughter and chatter.
The kind of playful noise that filled the air and seed to rge with the ocean itself.
I walked with Elaris still on my shoulders toward a large rock that jutted out from the sand.
Behind it, I carved out a small nook, a place where we could settle and enjoy the warmth of the sun.
He tilted his head, looking around curiously. "Can you... ssage ?" he asked softly, his voice hesitant.
I nodded, understanding exactly what he ant.
I picked up the oil, warming it in my hands, and began massaging his shoulders and back.
His little sigh of relief was soft, but it carried a weight of comfort that made smile.
"Ah... that feels... good," he murmured. His hands relaxed on my chest as I worked.
I could see his eyelids droop with relaxation.
When I finished, I gently laid him down to rest, allowing him to drift into sleep while the sunlight bathed his face in gold.
The peaceful rise and fall of his chest was srizing.
I turned back to the girls.
Sarah had decided to imrse herself in the sand, buried up to her neck.
It only left her head exposed like a tiny statue.
I laughed at the sight, her small face peeking out as if she were daring the waves to co near.
The laughter carried over the sand and mixed with the soft lapping of the waves.
Which created a lody that was almost hypnotic in its simplicity.
Then, without warning, a roar erupted from the sea.
It was not the sound of waves or the call of a bird.
This was sothing deep, resonant, and ancient, a sound that rolled across the beach and into the sky.
It shook the air around us, vibrating through the sand beneath our feet, making the small grains tremble.
The roar carried intelligence, a power that demanded attention.
Even the seabirds fell silent for a brief, uneasy mont.
From the surface of the water, a column of water shot high into the sky.
It sparklled like molten crystal in the sunlight.
And then, slowly, the massive, serpentine form of a creature erged.
Its scales shimred like obsidian and silver.
It kept twisting and turning in patterns that caught the sunlight in dazzling flashes.
Its eyes were enormous, pools of deep sapphire and swirling silver.
Which reflected intelligence and awareness far beyond anything human.
The jewel in my pocket began to glow, a blue light pulsing in response to the creature’s presence, as though it were calling to it.
The creature swam toward us with smooth, graceful movents that belied its sheer size.
Each motion of its enormous body created ripples and waves.
Which send the water cascading along the shore.
The air slled of salt and ozone, and the low hum of its presence resonated in my chest.
Then, stopping just a few ters from us, it raised its massive head, water streaming off it in silver sheets.
"I am Leviathan," it said, its voice rolling like the ocean itself.
"The queen of the sea. State your na, and why is my heart with you?"
Its eyes were srizing, the color of storm-tossed seas.
His eyes filled with sothing both gentle and commanding.
There was a weight in them, an expectation, as though centuries of knowledge and power rested in that gaze.
I raised an eyebrow, trying to process the strange, surreal mont.
"Heart?" I asked, lifting the glowing jewel from my pocket. "You an this?"
The Leviathan dipped its head in a slow, graceful nod.
"Yes," it said, and the word carried through the air like a tidal wave.
The water around it pulsed gently, reacting to the jewel’s glow, the light reflecting across the beach in waves of blue.
I froze, considering my options. Instinctively, I tried to toss the jewel toward it.
Feeling the pull of its presence like a magnetic force.
But at that exact mont, a voice rang out from behind . "Don’t give it to her!"
I turned sharply and saw Elaris running toward .
His small form sprinting across the sand with urgent determination.
His face was flushed, chest heaving with exertion, and his eyes were wide with fear and confusion.
But there was sothing more, sothing resolute.
Sothing that made pause and consider the danger and weight of this mont.
He skidded to a stop beside , grabbing my arm lightly to steady himself.
"Wait," he panted. His gaze flicked toward the Leviathan and then back at the jewel.
"You can’t..." His voice trembled, fear and insistence mingling.
The Leviathan’s eyes flickered.
She kept observing the scene with a quiet patience that was almost terrifying.
And I felt a strange tension building between all of us.
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