<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>

At long last, the dreaded beast allowed itself to be seen. The beast was massive, towering hundreds of feet into the air, dwarfing even the Outriders’ largest vessel. Its form had warped considerably from the Naga it used to be, its body being covered in fins and tendrils. Its demonic red eyes were a stark contrast to its slimy blue scales. A shining, golden-yellow crystal protruded from its head, with Xander explaining previously that it was the “source” of the Heartblight, in a way. The Cobalt Serpent, Monarch Of The Seas let out an ear-shattering screech that could be heard for miles, perfectly in sync with the intruding thunderstorm. Ithaca stood by her comrades, fearfully looking up to take in the serpent. Seeing the creature for the first time, she was immediately taken aback by its intimidating size, “Oh...Gods. It's the size of a castle!” Her eyes widened as far as they could stretch. Despite having her sword, Evergreen Soul, in hand, she couldn’t shake the lingering fear in her mind.

Chieftain Xander stood by Ithaca’s side, carrying his axe over his shoulder in an effort to steer her back on the right course, “Stow yer fears, lil' coyote. No turnin' back now!” The Cobalt Serpent was unlike anything The Lands Trio had ever faced before, completely untethered from the bounds of reality: a gargantuan, nigh-immortal sea monster that preyed on unsuspecting sailors that weren’t aware of their demise until it was too late. Just as Zenchi had said the day prior, it felt like something straight out of a fairytale. But they had now seen firsthand that it was no story, no folktale shared among sailors. It was the Cobalt Sea’s living nightmare. The freak storm in the area intensified, bolts of lightning and booms of thunder sending shivers down everyone’s spines. With the raindrops falling onto her face, Zenchi gazed over her shoulder at the serpent, repeating the orders they had been given by the Chieftain, “Weaken it, then aim for the Heartblight crystal on its head.” Such a task would be far easier said than done, but an attempt had to be made, lest the Outriders fail their lifelong mission and allow the serpent to be victorious, taking full reign over the seas. Roseland stood by with her guns in hand, calling out to the Gods for guidance, a far cry from her normally confident behavior, “Gods give us strength...” Now, the only path was forward unto fate.