Tirnanog

The following day, the group found themselves accompanied by Algos and Gondikas as they continued exploring Stoicheia. Their journey led them to the bustling port, where vibrant markets lined the docks, and ships of all shapes and sizes swayed gently on the waves. Beyond the harbor, the expansive beach stretched out, its golden sands meeting the shimmering blue sea.

Vriede took a deep breath, her wolf-like ears twitching as she soaked in the salty breeze.

"This is beautiful," she said, her tail swaying contentedly.

"The ocean, the sky, everything. It's so different from the surface."

Youth stood silently, his gaze fixed on the horizon. As he admired the view, his eyes caught something unusual across the sea. A shipwreck, its decayed frame jutting out of the water like skeletal remains, sat in eerie isolation.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing toward it.

Algos followed his line of sight and sighed.

"Oh, that. That ship has been there for over forty years. For some reason, no one dares to go near it. Locals say there are ghosts aboard. All I know is that it's off-limits."

Sequana's eyes narrowed as she stared at the wreck.

"Magic…" she murmured.

Schneizal, distracted by the sound of waves, glanced at her.

"Huh?"

"Magic," Sequana repeated, her tone sharper.

"I sense magic in that ship."

Algos raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

Gondikas crossed his arms.

"I guess you'd sense that, being a mage and all."

Sequana shook her head, her expression darkening.

"Not just any magic. I sense a very powerful dark magic inside that wreck. It's so strong… Are you sure that place hasn't harmed anyone?"

Gondikas shrugged.

"Not that I'm aware of. No one's reported anything."

Schneizal smirked and nudged Sequana.

"Maybe you're just being weird. Seeing ghosts where there aren't any."

Sequana shot him a glare.

"I'm serious. The scale of mana between me and whatever's in that ship… It's no ordinary force. It's massive, and it's dangerous."

Her words hung in the air, but Algos eventually shrugged.

"Probably nothing serious," he said dismissively.

The group decided to leave the shipwreck mystery behind and returned to the kingdom. Their exploration continued, taking them to the vast gardens where towering trees intertwined with crystalline structures, and large insect-like humanoid creatures flew overhead, their buzzing wings adding a rhythmic hum to the serene atmosphere.

As they walked through the gardens, the beauty of Stoicheia was briefly interrupted when someone bumped into Schneizal.

"Hey, watch where you're going, kid," Schneizal snapped, turning to face the offender.

A boy with blue hair, green eyes, and light green skin glanced back, looking flustered.

"I'm sorry," he muttered before quickly walking away.

Schneizal grumbled but let it go as the group continued exploring. Sequana, however, grew increasingly uneasy. Even though they were no longer near the shore, the dark magic she had sensed earlier lingered in her mind, gnawing at her. The feeling was so intense that it made her shiver despite the warmth of the sunlit garden.

"It's still there," she said quietly, more to herself than to anyone else.

"What is?" Vriede asked, noticing her discomfort.

"The magic from that ship," Sequana replied.

"I can still sense it. It's creeping me out."

Algos, walking a few steps ahead, glanced back and shrugged.

"Like I said, probably nothing serious."

Sequana frowned but said no more. As the group moved deeper into the gardens, her unease lingered, casting a subtle shadow over the day's otherwise peaceful explorations.

As the gang continued exploring, Sequana's unease grew. She couldn't shake the oppressive feeling emanating from the shipwreck. Finally, Youth turned to her, visibly annoyed.

"If we find out what's inside that ship, will you stop being so annoying?" he asked bluntly.

Schneizal chuckled, crossing his arms. "Whatever's inside is probably no big deal. We've got three Grade 2s, and one of us can transform into a Grade 3. I think we're more than capable of handling it."

Vriede shook her head.

"You're overestimating our grades, Schneizal. Power isn't everything."

Algos, walking ahead, glanced over his shoulder.

"You're not allowed to go near that shipwreck, anyway. Orders are orders."

The group reluctantly returned to their lodging and settled in for the night. The stillness was broken, however, when Sequana jolted awake, screaming. The others leapt to their feet in alarm, Schneizal rubbing his eyes and groaning.

"Great, thanks for ruining my good sleep," he grumbled.

"Listen to me!" Sequana said, her voice urgent.

"Whatever's in that ship… it's trying to reach me. I saw it—souls trapped in darkness."

After some convincing, the gang agreed to investigate the shipwreck. Vriede voiced her concerns. "What if we get caught? We're being monitored, after all."

"Don't worry," Youth replied.

"I saw Algos return to their headquarters. I've been keeping an eye on him. We're clear for now."

Under the cover of night, the group snuck to the port. Marines patrolled the area, but the gang managed to slip past them and steal a small boat. Sequana cast a concealment spell, temporarily cloaking them in invisibility for three minutes. To quicken their journey, she unleashed another spell, propelling the boat forward with a burst of energy. They reached the shipwreck and climbed aboard.

The wreckage was eerily silent, the air heavy with an unnatural chill. They explored cautiously, but at first, found nothing unusual. Sequana's senses led them to a locked door.

"It's sealed with magic," she said, placing her hand on it. After chanting a spell, the lock shattered, and the door creaked open to reveal a basement.

Inside, they found shelves lined with dusty books and potions. On a table lay ancient texts and incantations. Youth picked up one of the books and read aloud.

"Necromancing. You mean, like raising the dead?"

"No thanks," Schneizal said, stepping back, visibly spooked.

As they continued to explore, Vriede moved some fallen books and uncovered a corpse clad in a black hooded cloak. Both Sequana and Schneizal screamed in shock.

"It's just a corpse," Youth said, brushing off their panic as he removed the remaining books. The corpse's skeletal hands clutched a black trident.

The trident suddenly began to glow a brilliant blue, its light filling the room. Sequana was enveloped in the same glow, her body trembling as the trident drained her mana. She collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Sequana!" Schneizal shouted, rushing to her side.

The trident's glow intensified, and the corpse's eyes flickered open, glowing the same ominous blue. It rose to its feet, its movements unnatural and jerky. The gang raised their weapons, but the corpse unleashed a powerful blast, sending them flying.

Schneizal was the first to recover, charging at the figure. Their weapons clashed, but it quickly became apparent that the corpse—a Grade 3—was far stronger. Youth attempted to attack from behind but was stopped by a blue force field.

"Come on, you stupid eye. Now is not the time to fail me!" Youth growled, his frustration mounting as his powers refused to activate.

The corpse raised its trident and blasted the ship apart, summoning a massive, undead Grade 3 dragon from the sea. The gang stood frozen in shock as the hooded figure mounted the dragon and turned its gaze toward the kingdom.

"Oh no," Schneizal muttered.

"It's headed for the kingdom. We have to do something!"

The dragon soared toward Stoicheia, its massive wings blocking out the moonlight. At the port, marines noticed its approach and opened fire.

"What the hell is that?!" one of them shouted as the dragon unleashed a fiery blast, reducing several marines to ash and setting nearby buildings ablaze.

Reports quickly reached the Marine headquarters. A soldier burst into the generals' room, panting. "Generals! We're under attack by a mysterious Grade 3 dragon!"

Algos stood abruptly. "Grade 3?"

"Dragon?" Gondikas added, wide-eyed.

Cristianos wasted no time.

"Protect the citizens and prepare for battle! Algos, Gondikas, mobilize the hydro machines. We need to contain the fires."

At the scene, marines fired blasts of water energy to extinguish the flames. Meanwhile, back on the shipwreck, the gang scrambled to regroup. Sequana was still unconscious, her mana completely drained.

"She's out of mana," Vriede said, cradling her.

Schneizal shook her gently.

"Wake up, Sequana. We need you."

Youth suddenly screamed, clutching his glowing red eye. "

You've got to be kidding me! Right now?!" he yelled, his voice strained.

Vriede turned to Schneizal.

"Go to the kingdom and help the people. I'm sure the marines are already fighting that thing."

Schneizal nodded, gripping his sword tightly.

"Shit"

As the others hurried to their tasks, Sequana remained unconscious. Her mind drifted into a dream, pulling her back to her childhood.