Chương 6: Episode 3: Scarletsville Shenanigans

The pale stone of the Pyramids of Markilao shimmered against the desert. Near the base, a colony of desert cats lounged, their ears twitching as heat haze rose off the dunes. The wind cut out. The temperature dropped instantly. A sharp split ripped through the sky, and silver-white energy tore downward. Sand blew outward in a violent wave, blinding and heavy. The cats scattered, claws slipping in the loose dunes as they fled into the heat. Dark Don dropped out of the sky, wings spread wide, edged in raw light.

Energy bled off him in bursts, splitting the ground where he touched down. Sand cratered under his boots. He stayed low, chest heaving, fists clenched.

"I should've finished him," he said. Behind him, a pyramid groaned. A fissure ran down its central face, and the top structure gave way, dropping heavy stone blocks into the drift below.

"I had the chance." He stepped forward. White arcs snapped against the sand, leveling the nearest stone pillars and grinding the ancient carvings into powder. He grabbed at his head as the flare spiked.

"Silicia wouldn't have wanted mercy." He stopped, jaw locked tight. No. She wouldn't have wanted this either. A low sound cut through the silence. Dark Don turned. At the base of a half-buried pillar, one cat remained—smaller than the rest, fur dusted with stone grit. She stood pinned against the masonry, tail tucked tight. Their eyes met. Silver light reflected off her irises. The energy around Don spiked, gathering for a blast, then stalled. The cat took a single step back, paws sinking into the sand.

"P-Please… We didn't do anything." Don's hands loosened. The arcs flickering across his chest pulled inward, settling close to his skin. The ground stopped shaking.

"… Run." She turned and bolted over the ridge. Don stood alone in the wreckage. The pyramids were split open; the surrounding dunes lay scorched and quiet. He looked down at his hands, still shaking, then pulled his wings inward and launched into the air, leaving the ruined stone behind. Near the Gadian Sea The silver moon hovered above us, casting its dazzling glow across the night sky like it was trying to outshine the stars. And those stars?

They were shimmering non-stop, painting the heavens with light while we stood in awe beneath it all. It was pitch black now, so dark I could barely see a thing unless it was right in front of me. We stood at the edge of a towering red cliff, connected to a network of canyons that overlooked the mighty Gadian Sea. The waves were roaring, wild at first, smashing into each other with powerful crashes—then calmly retreating like they were catching their breath.

Fish and dolphins leapt into the air in synchronized bursts of energy, diving back into the churning foam. The water was a blur of white and blue, fizzing like soda as it splashed against itself, echoing beautifully across the sea. We all stood there, staring down at the deep, mysterious water. Then Prince, of course, broke the silence.

"Alright, so here's the thing… HOW DO WE GET UNDERWATER WITHOUT DROWNING?!" he screeched, clearly panicking while peering into the abyss. Here's the situation: Demaurion and Power? They're chill. They can breathe underwater like it's Tuesday. I can survive in space, so flex. Olsen's got underground breathing handled. And Prince? He can shatter air pressure with his raw lightning energy. But underwater breathing? Nah. Only Power and Demaurion got that skill set.

Power, the walking cheat code, could probably do anything if he wanted, but even he's got his limits. Demaurion though? Water is his whole vibe. He literally uses the Water Element and was born in the freaking Gadian Sea—a Leviathan by birth. Dude got sea monster DNA the minute he turned three. Demaurion suddenly pulled out four glowing coins from a pouch and tossed them at us with a smug grin.

"Think fast!" We all fumbled, caught them, and stared at the shimmering blue glow. Each coin was ocean-deep blue with a carved water droplet logo glowing faintly, a soft liquid glow pulsing inside the engraved lines. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"What are these?" I asked, tilting my head.

"They're called Gais," Demaurion said, not looking at me, eyes locked on the waves.

"As long as you're touching one, you can breathe underwater. No time limit."

"Huh," I said, pocketing mine as the others did the same. Demaurion smirked as water started to swirl around his feet.

"Now… who's ready to get wet?" Archie, of course, didn't wait. His fiery Phoenix wings ignited behind him as he leapt off the cliff and cannonballed into the sea, fire trailing before being instantly extinguished as he hit the water. We all exchanged looks.

"LET'S GO!" I yelled, launching myself off the cliff like a missile. I dove into the water with a massive splash and instantly felt the shift—it was peaceful, like floating in a dream. Underwater, everything changed. The ocean floor was glowing with radiant coral in every color imaginable—red, pink, yellow, even glowing greens and whites.

It looked like an underwater metropolis where huge dune valleys housed coral-built structures, and ridges shot upward, pierced by thin, smooth stones that formed natural buildings with windows glowing from within. It was surreal, like an entire city breathing beneath the waves. Schools of fish swam past, dolphins zigzagged playfully, and sharks cruised like guards on patrol. Clownfish peeked out of coral crevices while a hammerhead drifted past me like I wasn't even there.

Eels lurked beside the rocky ridge homes, their eyes blinking with eerie calm.

"This… This is beautiful," I whispered, finally touching the ocean floor. Demaurion stood ahead, arms crossed, eyes soft.

"I know, right? I miss this place…" The others landed with big splashes, staring around in shock and awe. I walked beside Demaurion and nudged him with a smirk.

"Didn't know you had a soft side for your hometown. You're usually the guy trying to bite someone's head off—""SHUT UP BEFORE I KILL YOU!" he snapped, face bright red. Still has that short fuse. Classic Demaurion. Glowing fish danced through the water, illuminating the sea like living lanterns, while pink and blue shells dotted the ground, each one casting a faint shimmer. I looked up, and through the surface of the water, the moon looked impossibly massive, like a divine silver eye watching over us.

"I think everyone's asleep," Olsen said, scanning the deserted cityscape. He was right. The lights were on, but not a single soul in sight. No movement, just calm water. Demaurion raised his arms and formed a sleek dinghy out of water, motioning for us to hop on. We climbed in, and the boat responded with a soft gurgle, beginning to glide forward on its own.

"Take us to Reef City," Demaurion whispered. And just like that, we were off. We passed under massive stone arches and swam past intricate coral towers—it was like gliding through a dream. Eventually, we arrived at Reef City, and whoa, it was wild. The citizens here were literal water beings, their bodies rippling like liquid statues as they cruised along in boats made from polished wood. Some vessels drifted slowly, others sped past in a rush.

Massive ridges framed the area, and long, thin rock spires poked from the cliffsides like ribs, lights flickering in small window-like gaps where people lived. We traveled deeper into the city, passing through narrow canyons where coral grew from every crevice. Schools of fish swirled above us, turtles napped on ledges, and more underwater life zoomed past. This place? Yeah, it definitely made the Top 10 list of Beautiful Places in Avangard. Still… I noticed something.

All the civilians were made of water—except Demaurion. I turned to him, brows raised.

"Yo… why are you the only one here with skin?" He paused, then answered, his voice low but steady.

"Well… My mom went into labor before she could get back to the Gadian Kingdom. We were still on Iris Town's shore after visiting my grandfather. I was… impatient. Kicking like crazy, acting like her stomach was a jail cell. I forced my way out before we reached the hospital." I blinked.

"So you were born on the shore?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"My parents were pure water-beings. I wasn't. I didn't get a water body—I was born with skin. I was still Oceananite, but… different. Everyone made fun of me, called me names. I had friends, but during the Triple-Tryple War, they all—" His voice cracked.

"They didn't make it." He swallowed hard.

"So I made a choice," he said, gripping his trident.

"Run from those nightmares… or fight them. And I chose to fight. I am Demaurion the Oceananite—the Leviathan man. And I will become a Hero of Avangard. Not just to fulfill the prophecy, but so no one ever sees me as a freak again." I smiled.

"Keep dreaming, bro. I believe in you." I leaned back and exhaled.

"Y'know… I wanted to be a Hero too. I used to be such a clown. Nobody thought I had what it takes. But now? After being chosen for this prophecy, becoming a Celestianite commander… I finally feel like I matter." Then the water trembled. Our heads whipped around as a massive cave loomed in the distance, covered in coral and moss. Then, a low, bone-shaking roar echoed through the abyss. We'd reached the edge of Reef City. It was darker here, the bright blues fading into navy shadows.

I checked the map, my eyes widening.

"We're at the Leviathan Pool," I whispered.

"Can this boat do a U-turn?!" I shouted, but it was too late. A massive blue tentacle lashed from the depths and grabbed the boat. We were flung upward, sky-high, all of us screaming as the boat hit the water again—and before we could breathe, the Leviathan rose. Its head breached the surface, casting a shadow that swallowed the sea. Its glowing golden eyes stared us down. Mist rolled in. The wind howled. Waves began to churn violently.

"OH GREAT! WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NOW—FIGHT THIS GUY?!" It looked like a colossal sea dragon with sharp, clean rows of 100 teeth. Its face was serpentine, covered in sleek scales of stormy blue and purple. Eight enormous cyan tentacles flexed and twitched, each one strong enough to snap our boat in half. Then came the tsunami—towering, unstoppable.

"WATCH OUT!" I yelled. Demaurion leapt from the boat and slashed the wave in half with a swipe of his arm. Water scattered into mist, sparkling under the moonlight. He now stood on the water, transformed into his Leviathan hybrid form—his tail glistening, his body scarred, but his spirit unshaken. He raised his trident, glaring down the ancient sea monster.

"Come and get me… you Leviathan beast."