Luris pursed his lips and gave a small nod. "That’s true... Either way, about your reward—you should et with the person I’m taking you to first."
I lazily drifted to the side, letting the two brothers swim ahead of . "Oh~ is that so? Are they soone really influential?" My voice carried a trace of amusent, though I was genuinely curious.
Muirs was the one who answered, "Yes, they are very influential. Far more than any noble lineage."
That piqued my interest imdiately. A slow, intrigued smile tugged at my lips. "Oh, is that so? Now you’re making really interested in them. Care to share a few details?"
Luris’s head shook firmly. "No, we can’t. We aren’t allowed to speak of them directly. But—" His eyes flicked toward with a seriousness that cut through the water like a blade. "Just rember one thing, and think of it as a precaution: don’t look them in the eye."
Muirs, perhaps not noticing the sudden tension, added, "Sothing really bad will happen if you do—"
"Arghhhhhh!"
The rest of his sentence turned into a choked scream. Blood burst from his nose, ears, and even the corners of his eyes in a sudden, horrifying rush.
"Muirs!! You stupid mutt, why did you speak?!" Luris’s face twisted with panic as he surged forward, wrapping his arms around his younger brother.
In the next instant, a shimring bluish bubble enveloped Muirs, pulsating faintly as Luris poured his blessings into him. The water around us seed to ripple unnaturally as the healing began.
I stayed still, watching carefully. The whole scenario lit up every danger bell in my mind. This wasn’t so random injury... this was a punishnt, imdiate and inescapable.
Whoever they were taking to see... this had their fingerprints all over it. And if they could reach soone instantly, from who knows how far away, then they were terrifying.
My eyes narrowed slightly. ’If they’re really that powerful... then they might be useful to . The warning about not looking them in the eye. Shouldn’t be too hard not to look. Right?’
Eventually, Muirs’s breathing steadied. His body still trembled, but the blood flow had stopped. "Thank you, brother..." he whispered hoarsely. "I’m sorry. I didn’t think... I didn’t think this counted as breaking the rules. I’m sorry..."
Luris shook his head, still holding him close. "It’s okay. You’re fine now... that’s all that matters. Don’t bla yourself."
Only after making sure Muirs could stay upright on his own did Luris turn to . "This," he said with a faint, bitter edge, "is why I warned you." He didn’t elaborate, perhaps unwilling or unable to risk saying more.
I exhaled slowly, letting the silence settle for a mont. "Alright. I’ll keep your warning in mind. Now, let’s go et this ’scary’ individual of yours."
After that, no one spoke. The only company we had was the stillness of the ocean around us, broken occasionally by the distant groan of shifting currents.
At last, Luris stopped. Before us rose a massive castle, its spires spiraling like coral formations yet perfectly symtrical, painted in deep blue and crimson patterns.
"This," Luris said quietly, almost reverently, "is where you are called."
I tore my eyes from the srizing architecture and turned to him. I gave a small, wordless gesture for him to lead the way. Without another word, he began swimming toward the grand entrance, the gates carved from so deep-sea material that glead like polished obsidian.
It was only then that I noticed Muirs wasn’t following us. My brow furrowed. "Why is Muirs staying behind? Is he not allowed inside for so reason?"
Luris’s shoulders seed to stiffen. His hands trembled slightly, and when he finally spoke, his voice was low... almost ek. "No... he’s just too young. He’s more likely to make a mistake. That’s why I never let him enter this castle."
The mystery surrounding this castle and more importantly, the individual within seed to swell all at once. Every ti I had seen Luris before, he carried himself with unshakable confidence, a calm assurance that ca naturally to one destined to inherit the rule of all Aquis Vanlur.
Yet here he was, trembling.
The sight alone made the air around us feel heavier, and in that mont, I accepted without question that the person we were about to et was dangerous.
I decided against pressing him further. If even Luris wouldn’t speak of them, then forcing the matter would be nothing but a waste of breath. Instead, I simply followed him, watching the way his movents changed.
Now, he moved with chanical precision, swimming along a certain route as though the path itself had been etched into his mory. He never glanced back. Even his head was slightly lowered, as though an invisible hand was pressing it down.
The silence weighed on , broken only by the faint sound of our movent through the water. Eventually, we stopped before an imposing door.
Luris swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. He took a breath that sounded almost, shaky and then positioned himself in front of the door.
He hesitated for the briefest mont, as though steeling himself, and then—
Knock. Knock.
A mont later, a voice drifted out from within. Smooth and silken. Beautiful in the way venomous flowers are beautiful.
"Co in..."
Before moving, Luris turned slightly toward and gestured subtly to his eyes—a silent reminder of the earlier warning. Do not et their gaze.
I inclined my head in acknowledgnt. I had no intention of testing whether their warning was an exaggeration.
Following Luris, I crossed the threshold into the chamber. The first thing that struck was the sheer wealth piled haphazardly throughout the space as they were nothing more than garbage.
Portraits with strange, haunting eyes seed to follow one’s movents, and elaborate statues each carved from a different kind of stone stood in silent reverence. It was less a room and more of a hoard.
At the heart of it all sat an enormous bed, draped with sothing akin to silks.
Then, the water stirred. A faint, deliberate movent. In less than the space of a heartbeat, a figure appeared before .
The first thing I noticed was the tail—imnsely thick, its scales a deep, glowing shade of blood red. The presence emanating from it pressed down on like an invisible weight, urging my gaze upward... but I kept my eyes fixed ahead, careful not to cross that invisible line.
A soft voice reached my ears, flowing into them like silk, warm and enticing. Yet there was sothing in its tone that hinted at a predator’s patience, the kind that enjoys toying with its prey.
"So," they purred, "you are the human I have heard so much about. You certainly are an eye candy~" The faintest chuckle followed, low and almost intimate. "Makes want to eat you~"
Reviews
All reviews (0)