With a graceful flick of her shimmering tail, Valentine led Blade and Piaro deeper into the ocean's vast, hidden expanse. The water around them darkened as they left behind the last traces of sunlight filtering from the surface. They swam swiftly, weaving through a labyrinth of coral-covered ruins and narrow, winding tunnels concealed by jagged rocks and dense seaweed.
Time to time they encounters some monstrous mermen which they avoid and go bypass them without killing them or alerting them.
Blade and Piaro followed closely, their new aquatic forms adapting as they navigated through the shifting currents. "These paths… they're well-hidden," Blade remarked, glancing at the narrow passageways they squeezed through.
Valentine nodded. "The Abyss was designed to be unreachable. Only those who know its secrets can find their way in… or out."
She led them through a long-forgotten trench, the walls lined with glowing runes, faint and flickering as if remnants of a lost era. "This way," she urged, her voice carrying a hint of urgency.
As they swam, Blade noticed Valentine's expression darken, as if lost in thought. He broke the silence. "You spoke of a curse before… but you, you're different. You don't look like the others."
She hesitated for a moment before answering. "That's because… once a year, for just 24 hours, I can break free from the curse and return to my original form," she admitted, her voice laced with both sorrow and determination. "It's a cruel blessing left behind by the ocean itself. A reminder of what my people once were and what we've lost."
Pari, intrigued, raised an eyebrow. "And what do you plan to do with these 24 hours?"
Valentine's grip tightened on the trident she carried—a mere ceremonial replica of the one they sought. "I have a plan. If I can reclaim the Trident of the Seven Seas, I can use my brief window of power to lift the curse from my people. But it must be done before my time runs out, or I'll revert, just like them."
Blade studied her for a moment. "So if we fail…"
She took a deep breath. "Then my kingdom remains lost, and I… I'll lose my chance to save them, until next year when I can try once again."
A heavy silence followed, the weight of her words sinking in. But there was no turning back now.
Valentine gestured for them to stop as she reached a concealed passage hidden behind the skeleton of a long-dead sea beast. "We're close. From here, we descend straight down. The Abyss awaits."
With that, she dove downward, disappearing into the darkness. Blade and Piaro exchanged a glance before following her into the unknown depths.
Blade and Piaro followed Valentine as she dove deeper into the ocean's shadowy depths. The further they descended, the more the light above faded, replaced by an eerie blue glow emanating from bioluminescent corals and strange, deep-sea creatures that flickered in and out of sight. The water here was colder, heavier, as if pressing down on them with an unseen force.
Valentine swam with purpose, her movements swift and precise. She led them through a maze of jagged underwater ravines, slipping through crevices that seemed too tight to pass, yet she knew exactly where to go. At times, she would pause, signaling them to stop before guiding them through hidden tunnels that twisted and turned in ways that would disorient anyone unfamiliar with their path.
Blade gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of the ocean pressing in on him. "How do you even know these paths?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with curiosity.
[ Your over all stats is reduced by 10% due to Ocean wait ]
Valentine glanced back at him, her expression unreadable. "My family built these secret routes centuries ago as a last resort—a way to escape if the kingdom ever fell. I memorized them when I was young, before the curse took hold." She sighed. "Now, they serve as the only safe way to the Abyss."
Piaro, swimming effortlessly beside them, smirked. "And how exactly do you plan to save your kingdom in just 24 hours?"
She hesitated for a brief moment before answering. "The curse weakens under the influence of the Trident of the Seven Seas. If I can claim it while I'm in my true form, I might be able to use its power to break the spell on my people." Her grip on the ceremonial replica in her hand tightened. "But to do that, we need to get past whatever guards the real Trident."
Blade narrowed his eyes. "You're talking about the master of the Abyss, aren't you?"
Valentine nodded. "Yes. The one who holds my kingdom's fate in its grasp."
The trio finally reached a massive chasm, the seafloor disappearing into a seemingly endless void below. Valentine motioned for them to stop as she pointed downward. "This is it," she whispered. "Beyond here lies the Abyss—where the prison of my people and the resting place of the Trident awaits."
Blade exhaled slowly, his eyes scanning the darkness below. "Then let's not waste time."
As they plunged into the Abyss, the water grew colder, the silence thick and oppressive. The deeper they went, the more the surroundings changed—towering rock formations resembling jagged fangs lined the descent, and ominous shadows flickered in the distance, shifting with the currents. Blade kept his guard up, his hand resting on his weapon, while Piaro remained eerily calm, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.
Valentine led them through the eerie darkness, her glowing scales the only beacon of light in the void. "Stay close," she whispered, her voice barely audible against the crushing silence. "There are things here that should never be awakened."
Blade furrowed his brows. "Like what?"
Before Valentine could answer, a deep, guttural growl rumbled through the water, sending a shiver down his spine.
Piaro smirked. "Like that, I assume?"
From the depths below, glowing red eyes flickered to life—first one pair, then another, and another, until dozens of them surrounded the trio in the darkness. Shadows twisted and coiled, forming the massive, serpentine figures of Abyssal Wraiths—ancient spirits of the drowned, cursed to guard the prison for eternity.
Valentine gritted her teeth. "They've already sensed us. We need to move—now!"
*******
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A/ N : While waiting for new chap, do check out my new book, In Marvel with Ultimate fantasy System
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