A few hours had passed since our departure from the Grand Confederation of Azulferia.
The ships of the Kingdom of Ednia sailed peacefully over the violet waves of the ocean.
I stood on the deck gazing at the horizon letting my thoughts drift.
This world was so different from mine though some similarities remained.
Suddenly, several shapes emerged from the water.
Marine creatures about the size of dolphins, appeared at the surface.
They had a horse-like appearance with a long curved neck and an elongated snout reminiscent of a seahorse.
Unlike typical fish, they had no scales but rather a thin skin stretched over bony rings that covered their entire bodies.
Seahorses? I murmured, observing them with fascination.
Nilyna, accompanied by several armed guards, approached.
She wore her servant's outfit, a short-sleeved garment revealing her white stockings and thighs.
At her side, Sylena ever curious leaned over the edge of the ship.
Jonady, what are you looking at? she asked.
Her eyes lit up when she saw the marine creatures.
Oh, Gebyon! It's the first time I've seen one! she exclaimed in awe.
They never appear near the waters of Azulferia.
I frowned, surprised by the name she had used.
Gebyon? I repeated.
Nilyna nodded, raising her eyes to the creatures swimming peacefully.
Yes, Your Majesty the Gebyon are deep-sea creatures.
They mainly inhabit the area between the Iminisfir Archipelago, the Katakiel Empire, and the shores of the island of Ednia.
It's not uncommon to see them near our kingdom.
I paused for a moment before asking:
They're not carnivorous, I suppose?
Nilyna gave a faint smile.
Indeed, Your Majesty they mostly feed on crabs and axolotls.
Sylena leaned on the railing, admiring the marine creatures.
Hmmm… why did they leave? she asked, disappointed.
I would've liked to watch them longer if I'd known, I would've drawn them… .
Then I noticed several schools of fish fleeing the area at full speed.
My gaze shifted to the horizon.
In the distance, the water level seemed odd.
The waves were rising in an unnatural way.
Then suddenly, a massive shape burst from the ocean.
A gigantic sea beast appeared.
Its serpentine body had several powerful legs, and its head resembled that of a crocodile filled with sharp fangs.
What is that thing? I asked, tense.
Nilyna calmly observed the creature before replying:
A Morgwar… They live beneath the ocean. It's rare for them to stay on the surface for long.
Sylena turned to her sister, clearly worried.
What's such a beast doing here, big sister?
I suppose it was hunting the Gebyon and decided to go after a bigger prey…
I sighed lightly.
That means us.
Nilyna nodded in confirmation.
Exactly.
The Morgwar swam swiftly toward our ship, opening its jaws in a terrifying roar.
I prepared to give the order to attack when suddenly, a shadow cut through the waves.
A white flash streaked through the water and struck the Morgwar with immense force.
Sylena her bow already in hand, squinted at the scene.
What was that? she asked.
I shook my head.
I don't know… all I saw was something white.
The next moment, blood rose to the surface.
The sea turned red as a massive shape slowly emerged from the water.
A colossal creature over twenty meters long, appeared before our eyes.
Its body resembled that of a whale, but a massive white horn proudly adorned its forehead.
Nilyna usually unshaken, widened her eyes slightly.
Well… I didn't expect to see that in my lifetime, she whispered.
Sylena turned toward her sister.
Big sister… Is that really a Tririon?
Nilyna nodded.
Yes… a Tririon they are said to appear only once every seventy years.
The last time one was seen was one hundred and twenty years ago, near the shores of Ednia.
We watched the monster in the distance.
Its piercing, deep blue eyes rested on us for a moment.
Then, it let out a powerful cry, a sound that echoed across the ocean.
WUUUUUUU!
After one last glance, the Tririon disappeared into the depths leaving behind churning waves.
One of the guards, still in shock murmured:
Is… it over?
Nilyna gave a faint smile.
Yes,Tririons are not known to attack human ships.
Suddenly, the door of a cabin burst open.
Raelia dressed in her military uniform, appeared with arms crossed.
You sure are taking your time! she growled. I've been waiting for you to eat!
A silence followed her remark, then we exchanged amused looks before bursting into laughter.
I placed my hand on her head and said with a smile:
You're right… Let's go.
And so after this encounter with one of the ocean's greatest mysteries, we quietly returned inside the ship continuing our journey toward Ednia.