Chapter 408| The Sea Of Mist Has Never Let Anything Go Once It Catches A Scent

?Irina’s office was cramped and frigid. Dark steel walls, a single wooden desk, one chair, and a steam-lamp that cast a dim, sickly yellow glow. There were no ornaments to speak of. Only a map of the Sea of Mist laid flat across her desk, buried under stacks of reports she never bothered to discard.

?It was well past midnight, yet her dark gray uniform remained immaculate. Her stark white hair was pulled back tightly, not a single strand out of place.

?Her index finger traced the shipping lane from the port to Northreach. Slowly. Right in the middle of the ocean, her finger stopped. She dipped a quill into red ink and marked a single dot.

?A tiny dot. It meant nothing to anyone else. Not yet.

?"General." An older officer stood at the doorway, flanked by another who was clearly fresh out of the academy. "This afternoon, you said to only delay them. No casualties."

?"This afternoon, I hadn’t finished weighing our options."

?Irina didn’t even glance up from the map.

?"Delaying her isn’t enough. She’d just find another route. Or the Emperor would send her again next week with double the royal guard. The only way to ensure Anastasia never sees Northreach is to make sure she never arrives."

?"But she’s the Emperor’s daughter, General," the younger officer protested, his voice slightly hoarse. "If we’re caught—"

?"Then don’t get caught."

?Irina finally turned her head. Her pale blue eyes were entirely devoid of emotion.

?"The Sea of Mist harbors enough monsters to swallow a hundred fleets. No one will bat an eye if a single ship goes missing on that route. There will be no one to blame. No evidence to prove a thing."

?She tapped the tip of her pen against the red dot on the map.

?"Deploy a skiff. Three men will do. Bring bait: blood, raw meat, and a seismic emitter. Drop it right in their shipping lane. Their vessel departs at dawn, meaning they’ll cross this exact coordinate by nightfall. The Sea of Mist will take care of the rest."

?"Understood, General."

?The younger officer lingered a second longer than he should have. "What if they survive the crossing?"

?"The Sea of Mist has never let anything go once it catches a scent."

?The two men took their leave. Irina stood alone, staring at the map.

?She didn’t harbor any personal hatred for Anastasia. She simply placed more faith in the Emperor than she did in his daughter.

?By tomorrow night, that red dot would be a watery grave.

?Dawn at the docks was damp. Last night’s drizzle had left puddles in the seams of the steel plating, and the vapor lamps were still humming despite the sky lightening into a dull gray. The heavy scent of salt water mingled with coal smoke.

?The NRS Orion idled at the far end of the pier. Its steel hull was pitch-black, flying no colors.

?Anastasia stood at the foot of the gangway. A black wolf-fur mantle draped over her left shoulder, her hair pinned in a pristine bun, and her dark gray uniform lacked a single crease. Ten Imperial Guards stood at attention behind her, heavy shields strapped to their backs.

?She wasn’t looking at the ship, however. Her eyes were fixed on the Sudrath family.

?Rumina stood at the edge of the pier, both hands stuffed casually into the pockets of her work dress. Borch, Thorne, Naya, and Dom stood behind her, still entirely unarmed.

?"Next time you come back, bring some decent bread," Rumina told Roland. "Everything here is hard as a rock. I swear."

?"I’m heading to Northreach, not a bakery."

?"Exactly. Pick some up on the way."

?Roland affectionately ruffled his sister’s hair. Rumina swatted his hand away, though there was no real force behind it.

?"And Rianor," Rumina added, glancing at him. "Get new glasses, will you? The cracks are multiplying."

?"Later. When we get home."

?"And Riven—"

?"Make sure you eat properly," Riven cut her off. Gruff, as always.

?"You’re the one who needs to—" Rumina snorted, deciding not to finish the sentence. Riven merely let out a low grunt and began trudging up the gangway.

?Heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the far end of the pier.

?The Dwarven King approached. His stout frame was rigid, his posture proud and unbowed. Bronze rings were braided into his thick, gray beard. A massive warhammer, etched with glowing white runes, rested casually on his shoulder. His faded red eyes stared straight ahead. Two dwarven royal guards trailed behind him in absolute silence.

?Roland turned his head. "Your Majesty."

?The King halted three paces away. "I am returning home."

?"So am I."

?The King glanced at the ship, then shifted his gaze back to Roland. "Your business with the dwarves isn’t finished."

?"I know," Roland replied. "But I have to head back. There are things I need to settle in Northreach first."

?"I understand."

?A brief silence fell over them, broken only by the whistling wind and the rhythmic crashing of waves against the pier.

?"You’ve done a great deal for us," the Dwarven King finally said. "More than we have ever received from any human."

?"I didn’t do it out of obligation," Roland replied.

?"I know. And that is exactly why I am thanking you." The Dwarven King raised his chin proudly. "As for the rest of our internal affairs, I will handle them. The radical faction, the ceasefire—all of it. That is my burden to bear."

?"You sure about that?"

?The King shot him a piercing glare. "I am a King. I have led my people for three hundred and twelve years. I can manage my own house."

?Roland offered a faint smile. "I never said you couldn’t."

?"Good. Because I can." The Dwarven King extended his thick, heavily scarred right hand. "You have my thanks, Roland Sudrath."

?Roland met his iron grip. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

?They shook hands. Brief. Firm. Neither man bowed his head.

?The King withdrew his hand, spun on his heel, and marched away. Hammer resting squarely on his shoulder. He didn’t look back.

?Anastasia observed the entire exchange with an impassive expression. They parted ways as casually as people heading to the local market. Back in the capital, a royal farewell meant exhausting protocols, signed documents, and overly formal salutations.

?"Princess," one of her royal guards whispered from behind. "Are they... always like this?"

?"It appears so."

?"They’re awfully loud."

?"Yes," Anastasia agreed. Though, for reasons she couldn’t quite place, her tone didn’t sound like a complaint at all.

?She ascended to the forecastle deck. Looking down, her gaze met Rumina’s on the pier.

?Anastasia brought two fingers to the edge of her mantle. A subtle gesture. I will return.

?Rumina didn’t return the gesture. Her hands remained buried in her pockets.

?But she didn’t leave, either. Even as the ship’s mana-engines roared to life, as the mooring lines were cast off, and as the NRS Orion slowly drifted away from the dock, Rumina stood her ground. She watched until the ship was nothing more than a faint gray silhouette swallowed by the mist.

?Nighttime in the Sea of Mist possessed no sky. It was an absolute, starless pitch-black overhead. Heavy waves continuously battered the steel hull with dull thuds, while the mana-lamps on the bridge cast a feeble, eerie glow. The air reeked of salt, ozone, and frigid metal.

?Roland stood before the bridge’s crystal radar display, its green light washing over his face. His dark blue overcoat, just returned to him that morning, was already damp around the shoulders. Rianor sat rigidly in a wooden chair, a map draped over his lap as he redrew their navigational chart from memory. Riven leaned silently against the doorframe.

?"Go get some sleep," Riven muttered.

?"Later."

?"You’ve been saying ’later’ for hours."

?"You aren’t sleeping either."

?"I’m on watch."

?"So am I."

?"You’re both being obnoxious," Rianor chimed in without lifting his head. "I’m trying to calculate."

?"Calculate what?" Riven asked, not actually caring.

?"The distance left to home."

?"It’s a long way."

?"Assuming the weather holds. And assuming we don’t run into—" Rianor abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

?"Run into what?"

?"Never mind."

?In the corner of the bridge, Adul frantically twisted the comms dials. Bzzzt... kshhhh... "Captain, it’s nothing but dead air and static."

?"It’s the Sea of Mist, Adul," Captain Elian said from the helm, keeping a steady grip on the wheel. "Comms have been jammed since we entered."

?"Just making sure."

?Rianor’s quill suddenly stopped moving.

?"Roland."

?"Yeah?"

?"What the hell is that?"

?A massive green blip pulsed at the very edge of the crystal radar. It was huge. Deep beneath the surface—and ascending rapidly.

?"A fish?"

?"A fish the size of this ship?"

?"Massive underwater contact," Elian barked, his calm demeanor instantly vanishing. "Ascending fast! That’s no whale!"

?The blip expanded, eating up the screen. Roland’s instincts kicked in; he sprinted for the outer deck before his brain even fully processed the threat.

?Outside, the pitch-black water on the starboard side was churning violently. Massive bubbles erupted on the surface. A bone-chilling frost radiated from the ocean, so intense that the sea spray instantly froze into icicles against the steel railing.

?"Brace yourselves!" someone screamed over the roaring wind.

?The head of a Leviathan-class Sea Serpent violently breached the surface.

?It was dozens of meters long, maybe more. Its slick, armored scales gleamed maliciously under the vapor lamps. Pale yellow eyes pierced through the impenetrable darkness, and as its monstrous jaws unhinged, rows of jagged teeth—each the size of a grown man’s arm—were put on full display. The beast unleashed a deafening roar that violently shook the ship’s hull, the sheer acoustic force vibrating right through Roland’s ribcage.

?Its massive tail slammed into the port side of the ship.

?The NRS Orion lurched violently to starboard. Heavy logistics crates skidded across the deck, steel railings crumpled like tin foil, and the crew scrambled in pure panic. An Imperial guard lost his footing, tumbling helplessly over the edge without even a chance to scream. He vanished instantly into the churning black abyss below.

?"Man overboard!"

?"Don’t look down! Hold your ground!"

?Roland lunged for the railing, anchoring himself using his good arm, wincing as the recently healed wound on his shoulder flared with pain. Beside him, Riven exploded out of the bridge like a fired cannonball.

?"Captain! Hull breach on the port side!" a crewmate screamed from below deck.

?"Hold it together!" Elian roared back over the chaos. "Adul, don’t just stand there! Help secure the cargo!"

?"O-On it, Captain!" Adul replied, his voice cracking, entirely on the verge of tears.

?The serpent’s colossal body began to constrict around the hull. The reinforced steel shrieked—a long, agonizing groan of metal tearing under unimaginable pressure.

?Riven snatched a heavy harpoon-spear from the deck’s weapon rack. It was long, lethally heavy, and the steel tip still glistened with maintenance oil. It’ll do.

?From the bridge doorway, Rianor’s voice cut through the chaos—a desperate, high-pitched shout completely unlike his usual calculated tone. "The eyes! And right beneath its jaw! The armor plating is thinnest there!"

?"Easier said than done!" Riven roared back.

?"Talking is all I can do! My bracer is fried!"

?"Then keep calling it out!"

?The serpent’s slick, writhing back arched right over the starboard railing. Riven rapidly calculated the distance. Once. Twice.

?He vaulted into the air.

?His boots slammed onto the wet, slimy scales, nearly causing him to slip into the abyss. The monster’s massive body undulated wildly. Lowering his center of gravity, Riven drove the tip of his spear deep between the scales for leverage—and bolted.

?He sprinted straight up the serpent’s back. One step. Two steps. The massive armored scales shifted precariously under his boots with every violent thrash of the beast.

?The Sea Serpent’s colossal head snapped toward him. Jaws unhinged. Arm-length fangs bare. A nauseating stench of rotten fish and a blast of freezing air slammed directly into Riven’s face.

?Do not hesitate.

?Riven launched himself straight off the creature’s back.

?He drove his spear straight into its left eye, plunging the steel tip so deep that half the heavy wooden shaft vanished into the socket.

?Boiling, putrid black blood erupted from the wound, drenching Riven’s face and chest. The beast unleashed a world-shaking shriek of agony. Its massive body violently spasmed, instantly loosening its death grip on the ship’s hull.

?But it didn’t retreat.

?The massive head reeled backward, trembling with fury, before blindly lunging in a different direction. Toward the forecastle deck. Straight toward Anastasia and her royal guards.

?Riven let out a low, incredibly colorful string of curses.

?Roland scrambled up to the forecastle deck, panting heavily. Rianor was right on his heels.

?The Imperial Guards had instantly locked into a defensive phalanx, their heavy shields raised and interlocked. Every single man there knew those shields wouldn’t stop a monster of this magnitude. Yet, not a single one broke formation.

?Anastasia remained completely stationary. Her wolf-fur mantle was drenched and heavy with seawater. Her expression was utterly indifferent—even in the face of imminent death.

?"Princess, fall back!" one of the guards pleaded.

?"To where exactly?" She didn’t even bother looking back.

?Roland frantically scanned their surroundings. Mangled railings, smashed crates, severed ropes, jagged steel shrapnel. He was looking for a weapon—anything. The ship’s mana-cannons had been forcibly sealed when the Empire detained the vessel, and the activation keys were sitting in a lockbox hundreds of miles away in the capital.

?The colossal jaws of the Sea Serpent descended from the heavens. One eye was a ruined, bleeding crater; the other glowed with pure, unadulterated malice. Its maw opened wide enough to swallow the entire forecastle deck whole.

?Then, a sound cut through the roaring wind.

?Low, rhythmic, and mechanical, echoing from somewhere high above. Thrum... thrum... thrum.

?Roland snapped his head up toward the black sky.

?Three blindingly bright yellow lights pierced straight through the dense fog overhead. Searchlights. One. Two. Three. The intense beams swept across the raging ocean below, finally converging on the monstrous serpent.

?"What in the gods’ names is that?" one of the Imperial guards breathed in shock.

?Anastasia finally turned her head toward Roland. "Yours?"

?"Ours."

?"Did you summon them?"

?"I didn’t even know they were coming."

?The heavy thumping of rotary blades. Roland recognized that mechanical symphony instantly. He had heard it hundreds of times back in Northreach, echoing off the concrete landing pads behind the stronghold.

?Sky-Hunters. Three gunships.

?Still clinging to the monster’s back, Riven looked up into the blinding light. With beastly black blood coating half his face, a wicked, bloodthirsty grin spread across his lips.

?The Sea Serpent looked up as well. Its solitary yellow eye glared at the overwhelming artificial suns descending from the heavens. Its deafening roar tapered off into a low, confused hiss. For the first time, the apex predator hesitated.

?The NRS Orion was still listing heavily. Its hull was breached, the crew was battered, and one man was already lost to the depths.

?But from the skies above, the cavalry had arrived.

?Roland tightened his fists, adrenaline surging through his veins.

?Let’s blast this monster to pieces.