"What do we do now?" Dorran asked with a concerned look as he watched Nox kneeling before Kaelen’s lifeless body.
Several minutes of silence passed. Nox didn’t speak—neither did anyone else. They simply stood there, waiting for his orders.
After a long silence, he finally rose and looked at the others. "Dispose of his body. He’s no longer of any use."
Croalia and Lyra exchanged glances and went to carry out the order. They took Kaelen’s body and swam away.
King Thalasar watched the two disappear, then shifted his gaze back to Nox. "Although it’s unfortunate that we didn’t learn more about the Scourge Queen, you still killed two birds with one stone. With Kaelen gone, the Sea Devotees no longer have a powerful warrior to rally behind."
Nox nodded, not arguing with the fact. Kaelen was strong, but in the end, he was only on par with the Scourge Commanders.
The reason it had taken longer to defeat him was because Gabriel had been at a disadvantage from the start, while Kaelen fought in his natural elent.
"Now that the issue of the Sea Devotees has been resolved, and we’ve won the Royal Hunt, can we ask for our favor now?" Gabriel suddenly spoke up.
"It seems soone is hasty to leave," Thalasar chuckled.
"Well, there are a lot of things I still need to handle on the surface. I’ve already spent longer here than I anticipated."
"I see." Thalasar nodded in understanding. He then looked at Nox with a serious gaze. "Although the competition was cut short, we all know that your team ca out on top. Go ahead, ask for your favors."
"I need the statue," Nox said without hesitation. "And I want an alliance between your kingdom and mine."
"Knew you’d ask for that." Thalasar gave a bittersweet smile. Honestly, the statue had been down here long before any of them, and subconsciously, his people had made it into their own goddess.
It left a sour taste in his mouth to see a human take it. However, Thalasar was an honest ruler.
Based on the reports, the statue reacted differently to human presence, confirming that she was indeed their patron goddess.
All these years, they had simply been delusional—claiming what didn’t truly acknowledge them.
Thalasar sighed, folding his arms. "Fine. The statue will be handed over to you as agreed. As for the alliance, that will depend on the council’s decision. But as King, I’ll make sure the process goes smoothly."
"Appreciated," Nox replied simply.
Lyra and Coralia returned just then, their expressions calm but distant. "It’s done," Lyra said quietly. "Kaelen’s remains have been sealed."
Nox gave a small nod. "Good. Then we can move to the next step."
Thalasar’s eyes softened. "You’ve proven your worth, Landwalker. If your kingdom seeks peace and mutual protection, I’ll stand by your side. The Scourge threat concerns us all."
"Then it’s settled," Nox said with a faint smile. "We’ll take the statue and begin preparations for departure."
Coralia frowned slightly. "You’re leaving so soon? You could at least stay for the celebration. The people will want to see the heroes who won the Royal Hunt."
"Tempting," he said, "but we’ll have to decline. We’ve spent too much ti here already, like I said."
There was a frown on both Lyra’s and Coralia’s faces. Thalasar shook his head; he knew that look too well. His daughters had grown too attached to the surface dwellers in such a short ti.
"I’ll guide you to the statue," the King said and floated forward. "Follow ."
Nox gave a short nod to the twins. Dorran did the sa.
And under the sad gazes of the twin princesses, the four—along with the Chroma Serpent and Grim—followed the King.
...
If it had been left to Nox and Dorran alone, it would have taken much longer for them to find the statue. But the Sea Princess had opened a portal that took them directly to Aquaria.
Under the King’s guidance, they easily found it. And now, the big question arose—how would they transport such a giant statue? It was massive, far too large for even Nox’s spatial storage to contain.
Subconsciously, the two looked toward Thalasar, who rely shrugged as if to say, Don’t look at . "No one has ever been able to move the statue. We’ve tried several tis, but failed. If it were possible, it wouldn’t still be standing in these barren waters."
He paused, then added, "It’s as if the statue itself doesn’t want to leave this spot... or it simply doesn’t acknowledge us. However, since she’s your patron goddess, it might be different for you."
Nox thought for a few monts, and then an idea struck him.
"Australux!"
A blue portal tore through the ocean, and from it erged a massive jellyfish—its countless tentacles dangling gracefully. It looked harmless, yet its sheer size was intimidating. Grim shifted uncomfortably at the sight.
The Chroma Serpent didn’t react much, having a strong bond with the jellyfish and knowing it wouldn’t be hard.
Nox gave his pet a ntal order, and it responded imdiately. He watched as Australux slowly wrapped its tentacles around the statue and began to swim upward, carrying it toward the distant shimr of light that marked the surface.
The sight was strangely peaceful, even majestic.
With that, the group began their slow ascent. Australux led the way, moving toward the light, while Nox, Dorran, and Thalasar followed closely behind.
Soon, the jellyfish broke through the surface, glimring under the sunlight.
King Thalasar exhaled softly, then turned to Nox and Dorran. "I suppose I’ll be stopping here."
"Thank you for your hospitality," Nox said with a low bow.
"I should be the one thanking you," Thalasar replied with a faint smile. "Because of you, Kaelen is no more."
"I’m glad to have been of help," Nox replied.
Thalasar gave a satisfied nod. "Then, Nox Aegis Cromwell, you leave our kingdom not as a stranger—but as a friend."
"Thank you."
After one final nod, King Thalasar vanished back into the deep, while Nox and Dorran also began their journey back toward the surface world.
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