"Find out for yourself." Dorran smirked; it was his way of getting back at Nox for refusing to reveal his plans.
"Hmm, we’ll see about that." Nox smirked and muttered under his breath. "It wouldn’t really be bad to add some sea creatures to the group."
The journey was uneventful for the first few days. The sea was calm, the weather fair. Dorran kept mostly to the railing, staring into the water as if he could see all the way to the bottom.
The next day, the weather turned. Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and the sea began to churn. The captain of the ship, a grizzled man named Lorric, approached Nox.
"Storm coming, Your Majesty. A big one. We should try to skirt around it."
"Do what you must," Nox said. "But keep us on course for Aetherai."
The ship began to climb and fall over growing waves. Rain started to fall, first a drizzle, then a heavy downpour. The crew scrambled to secure the sails and rigging, making sure the ship proceed uninterrupted.
"They say when rain pours , it’s a bad omen. Best advice is to turn back," one of the crew muttered under his breath.
"It’s just weather," Nox replied, though they hadn’t been speaking to him. Still, he kept a wary eye on the sky. He noticed Dorran clinging to the main mast, face pale. The pirate lord of the seas was clearly not a good sailor in a storm.
Suddenly, a massive wave slammed into the ship side, sending the ship lurching violently. A crate broke loose from its lashings and slid across the deck, nearly crushing a sailor before Zarek caught it and shoved it back against the rail.
"We’re taking on water!" someone yelled from below decks.
"This is more than a storm!" another crew member shouted.
Nox’s instincts screamed at him. This felt wrong. The water around the ship began to swirl, forming an unnatural vortex. The rain seemed to fall in a deliberate pattern. It was magic.
"We’re under attack!" he roared.
As if on cue, figures emerged from the churning water. They were humanoid, clad in armor made of coral and shells, riding the backs of giant serpentine sea creatures. Their eyes glowed faint blue.
What are those? Nox’s eyes widened in shock. He was no pirate and rarely traveled across the sea, so this was his first time encountering such creatures.
"They’re not human... what are they?" he murmured to no one in particular.
"Sea Devotees!" Lorric shouted, drawing a cutlass. "Fanatics! They protect these waters!"
"Sea Devotees?" Nox frowned, still unable to properly grasp what that meant. Why didn’t anyone tell me about this all this while?
One of the figures raised a trident, and a spear of water shot from the waves, slamming into the deck and throwing two sailors overboard.
"Shield the ship!" Nox ordered. "Zarek, defend the sides! Dorran!" he barked.
Dorran was already moving, fear replaced by fierce concentration. He ran to the rail and put a hand to his mouth, letting out a sharp whistling cry that cut through the storm’s roar.
Moments later, a massive grey fin broke the surface. Dorran’s shark surged forward like a living torpedo.
It slammed into one of the sea serpents, powerful jaws clamping down until blood dyed the waves.
Nox didn’t hesitate. He activated [Demonic Wing], black wings erupting from his back. Launching into the air, he let the wind and rain whip around him.
He swooped down over the attackers, casting [Shadow Oblivion]. Dark blasts of energy rained down, striking the Devotees and their mounts.
One of the coral-armored figures shattered under the impact.
But there were too many. Another wave, larger than the last, rose up beside the ship, threatening to capsize it.
Scanning the sea, Nox spotted a larger Devotee, wearing a headdress of twisted shells, hovering in the eye of the storm, its trident directing the chaos. Fighting against the wind, he beat his wings and flew straight for it.
Suddenly, a sea serpent leaped from the water, jaws wide. Nox veered, but its tail lashed across his side, sending a jolt of pain through him. Spinning in the air, he retaliated with a spear of flame, searing a hole through the creature’s neck.
He was nearly upon the leader when a net made of glowing seaweed shot up from below, tangling around his legs.
Nox was yanked downward toward the water. He quickly summoned [Oblivion Edge] and slashed violently at the net.
From the deck, Dorran saw his predicament and whistled for the shark.
The massive beast abandoned its serpent foe and surged through the water, leaping high into the air. Instead of attacking the net, it slammed into the Devotee holding the other end. The creature was thrown from its mount, and the net went slack.
Nox broke free and soared upward. He gathered his power, hands glowing with concentrated lightning that cast jagged shadows across his face. The Devotee leader looked up, eyes widening. Nox unleashed a single, focused beam.
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It struck the leader in the chest with a thunderous explosion. The creature crumpled, its trident falling into the sea. Instantly, the vortex collapsed. The waves began to settle, and the storm, while still raging, lost its magical ferocity.
The remaining Sea Devotees cried out and retreated beneath the waves, their serpents following them.
Nox landed back on the deck, wings folding away. The crew erupted into cheer. The ship was damaged in places, but it was still afloat.
Dorran leaned against the rail, breathing heavily, while the shark circled the ship once before diving back into the depths.
The same pirate who had earlier muttered about a bad omen looked at Nox, pride on his face. "Told you the waters weren’t friendly."
Nox nodded, a flicker of respect in his eyes.
After that, the rest of the voyage was quiet. They repaired what they could as they sailed. When everything was finally normal again and the weather cleared, Nox turned to the captain.
"What are the Sea Devotees, and where did they come from?" He asked the bugging question that had bugged him all this while.