Pounding Heart

11 : The Shadow Sea

     We flew with the destination of Haknu, Raliu Kingdom, across the great Shadow Sea.

"Remind me why we are choosing to fly straight through the sea that is known to be extraordinarily dangerous?" Kintes flapped his wings so he flew next to me. The light rain was gently falling on our wings, and I knew it would grow in intensity.

"The shortest distance over the ocean is between the tips of Tagonia and Haknu. If we fly high enough, we should be safe from sea creatures." I watched as the land vanished from view, and ahead lay stormy seas. "Besides, we can't land in the Blatua territories. We'll be regarded as enemies; it's best if we only stay there as long as necessary."

"Ah." He nodded.

"D-do you guys think the kraken is r-really out there?" Nota shivered.

"Don't tell me you're chickening our now." I laughed and nudged her playfully.

"N-no, it's just the kraken has been known to pull dragons under, even if they're flying above."

"That's why we're flying high up." Kintes assured her. "We'll be perfectly safe. It's a short distance anyways. I bet he lives in the deepest part of the Shadow Sea."

"Oh, don't tell me you believe in all that!" I rolled my eyes. "The kraken is just a myth, Nota. Some fishing goblins must've seen a bigger-than-average squid, and spread rumors. That's all."

"Oh yeah?" Nota looked around. We were in the storm now, flying above black waters. "Than explain what that is!"

I looked down. I wish I didn't.

"So you do think there's a kraken!" Nota burst out laughing.

"What?! No!" My cheeks felt warm. I fell for it, I looked down. "S-stop it, there's no such thing!"

"Uh huh." She raised her eyebrows.

"Kintes, will you please knock some sense into Nota." I huffed an annoyed breath.

"Sorry Zepth, but I believe it." He chuckled.

"Lintu outta send you both to the bottom of the sea." I snorted.

"It's gonna take more than a little rain to stop me!" Kintes roared at the sky and grinned.

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"This enough rain for you?" Nota coughed as the rainwater blasted her into spirals. She opened her wings before tumbling into the crashing waves, and water flung off her scales.

"Bring it!" Kintes tried to challenge the weather, but his mouth was full of salt water. I hadn't even realized we flew this low to the sea, but maybe the water was just rising. A massive wave threatened to smash into us, but we shot ourselves to the side just in time, spraying water out of our mouths. "Is that all you got?!"

"Kintes!" A wave barreled into me, and I coughed the water out, laughing. "You're going to get us killed, provoking Lintu like that!"

"I'm not challenging Lintu!" He shouted back.

"The kraken's underwater, wormbrain!" Nota snickered. "He can't hear y-"

A massive tentacle blasted out of the waves, followed by five more. The Kraken surfaced, glaring at Kintes in particular.