The Desert Fangs moved forward, dragging Venos across the sand with ropes tightly bound around him, while the unconscious Temoshí was carried along with careful, practiced coordination.
Zevros lingered at the far end of the dock, his gaze fixed on Venos' boat. Then, shifting his attention downward, he studied the still-sleeping Rylenne, fully aware that her power would pose a serious threat once she woke. It was clear she couldn't be brought along safely.
"You're trouble… and I can't risk keeping you alive," he muttered under his breath. He stepped across the sand, seizing her ankles and hauling her toward the ocean. "Better to let the sea take you than let you end up in a cell."
With precise force, he dragged her across the wooden dock before glancing down the edge. "Rylenne… that's a name I'll remember." Then, with a single, fluid motion over his shoulders, he flung her into the ocean. Her body cut through the waves, sinking rapidly into the depths.
Satisfied, he turned back to his men, releasing a heated gust of desert wind to signal their movement. "The king must be insane if he thinks we're safe. By eliminating their numbers and keeping their existence secret, we avoid any punishment that could come from reporting them."
Knowing full well that the king would punish him if anyone learned he had discarded a life so carelessly, Zevros scanned the area for witnesses. "No one…" he muttered, adjusting his mask, confident in his solitude—though he was completely mistaken.
From a distance, Rhyven, the loyal and vigilant member who had trailed him, had seen everything. He didn't agree with Zevros' actions, but he kept his composure, remaining hidden so that others would assume he had moved on toward Iron Messa. Only once the group had advanced far ahead did he slip away quietly, unseen.
Once he was alone at the dock, Rhyven hurried to the spot where Zevros had thrown Rylenne, peering into the dark depths with arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "You're a fraud, Zevros," he muttered. Without hesitation, he dove into the ocean, cutting through the waves and plunging deep toward where Rylenne had sunk.
Rhyven hovered cautiously in the deep blue, eyes locked on Rylenne's serene, sleeping form as she sank deeper and deeper. Tiny bubbles escaped from her mouth, rising lazily toward the surface like scattered pearls, giving her descent an almost surreal beauty.
Then, a massive shadow loomed beneath her—a monstrous silhouette stretching wider than he could comprehend. Panic struck like a lightning bolt. The shadow shifted, revealing itself as a colossal sea creature, its jaws opening into a cavernous abyss lined with jagged teeth.
Rhyven's heart raced. "No… there's no way I can stop this." His arms and legs flailed, slicing through the thick, resistant water. Every stroke felt like pushing against mountains, the ocean itself pressing down, making his lungs scream for air. His fingers clawed at the cold, crushing pressure as he propelled himself forward, muscles trembling and lungs burning. The shadow of the creature moved faster than he anticipated, its gaping maw closing in with terrifying inevitability.
Then, Rylenne moved. Her arms and legs shot outward in a single, precise motion, generating an immense shockwave that exploded through the surrounding water. The ocean erupted violently—the force of it shoved Rhyven sideways, twisting him in the currents like a ragdoll caught in a whirlpool. Schools of fish scattered like glittering sparks, and even the colossal creature recoiled, momentarily stunned.
Rhyven fought against the crushing power of the shockwave as it dragged him downward and sideways, his body spinning uncontrollably. Water surged into his mask and mouthpiece, forcing him to hold his breath against the pressure. His muscles screamed in agony, fingers clawing at the nothingness, trying to grasp something solid as the current spun him in dizzying, violent arcs. He felt the cold grip of the deep, the weight of the ocean pressing him into submission. Every attempt to break free was countered by Rylenne's energy pushing him further, spinning him, dragging him, lifting him, a relentless dance of water and force that left him gasping for control.
Then came the upward surge. The shockwave shot toward the surface, dragging Rhyven like a cork in a cannonball of water. The ocean churned around him in a spiraling, monstrous column, hundreds of meters high, twisting and frothing like molten liquid. He clawed desperately at the water, trying to catch a fraction of momentum to slow his ascent, but the speed was insane—his body slammed repeatedly against the swirling walls of the column. Water pressure crushed his chest, forcing him to kick and twist violently just to maintain direction.
Finally, the shockwave broke the surface. A colossal tidal wave erupted, towering like a liquid skyscraper, whitecaps exploding into mist that stung his eyes. Spray whipped around him, blinding and chaotic, yet the force continued to fling him upward, spinning and tumbling as if the ocean itself sought to disassemble him. Every breath was a struggle; every heartbeat pounded in his skull as he fought to remain conscious, to stay above the crushing, frothing mass of water.
And then, in the eye of the chaos, Rylenne emerged—arms still extended, calm, almost indifferent to the devastation around her. The massive creature retreated into the abyss, terrified of her overwhelming presence. Rhyven finally broke through the crest of the wave, coughing, sputtering, and gasping for air, his limbs trembling violently from the sheer force and chaos he had endured. His body felt like it had been shredded by the ocean itself, yet all around him, the aftermath of Rylenne's power shimmered—a chaotic, violent testament to her terrifying control over the water and shockwaves.
Rhyven finally collapsed onto the desert floor, chest heaving, arms trembling from the insane struggle through the ocean's chaos. His body still tingled from every violent twist and pull—but his eyes couldn't leave her.
Rylenne soared above, leaping high into the air, hair whipping wildly around her face. She threw her head back and let out a loud, ecstatic shout—"YAHHHH! LET'S GO!!—a raw, joyful cry that cut across the desert like a surge of energy. Her scream wasn't just sound; it was life, unrestrained and electrifying, reverberating through the dunes and making the air itself vibrate.
She twisted midair in a perfect arc, landing in a handstand with fingertips barely sinking into the sand. Without hesitation, she spun, flipping over in a fluid motion, landing gracefully on her feet. Chest lifted, arms outstretched, her expression burned with unbridled delight, radiating power and sheer excitement that made the desert itself feel alive.
Rhyven, sprawled on the sand, struggled to catch his breath. His exhaustion was nothing compared to the overwhelming presence of her joy-fueled action. "How… how does someone this alive even exist?" he muttered, awe and disbelief mingling in his tone. Every motion—her flips, spins, and screaming joy—was a declaration of her power, her energy, and her triumphant return to action.
Even battered and winded, Rhyven couldn't look away as Rylenne straightened fully, brushed sand from her jacket with an effortless flick, and grinned, fire in her eyes. The desert now felt like a stage, and she—pure, unstoppable, joy-fueled Rylenne—was ready to dominate it again.
"That was a good rest."
Rylenne's eyes swept across the desert floor and landed on Rhyven lying there, catching his breath. She tilted her head, silver hair bouncing lightly, and asked with a curious, teasing lilt, "Hey… what're you doing down there? You look like you got comfy in the sand or somethin'."
Her grin was playful, her energy vibrant and untamed, like she was ready for the next thing without a care for what had just happened.
Rhyven's eyes widened, his body stiff with disbelief. "Wh-what's wrong with you? Are you even human? Didn't you see what just happened?"
Rylenne blinked at him, tilting her head in casual confusion. "Huh… I dunno, I was probably just sleeping," she said, shrugging lightly as if that explained everything, her playful smile returning despite the chaos around them.
Rhyven fell silent, lost in thought. "Does she even realize what she's capable of? She literally controlled the ocean itself…"
He slowly pushed himself back to his feet, eyes flicking to Rylenne, who just watched him with her usual calm curiosity.
"Hey, no need to stare so hard! Gotta catch up to those guys!" she called out with a grin. Without waiting another second, she sprinted forward, bursting with energy, and leapt high into the air. A glowing music note appeared beneath her like a hoverboard, carrying her effortlessly as she swayed through the sky, leaving a vibrant trail of musical light twisting behind her.
Rhyven remained frozen, eyes locked on her as she soared through the air, completely mesmerized by the trail of music and energy swirling behind her. He barely breathed, his mind struggling to process the sheer audacity and brilliance of what he'd just witnessed. After a long pause, he finally muttered under his breath, "She… she's something else entirely."
Yumiko had managed to get Chiaki and Razor safely to Iron Messa. The storm was finally behind them—still grumbling in the distance, but weaker now, its winds warmer than before.
"Well, looks like we didn't have to worry so much after all," Chiaki said, glancing back.
Behind her, Razor was sprawled in the sand, dragging herself forward like a half-dead zombie, claw marks trailing behind her.
"Nooo moreee!" Razor wailed, tongue hanging out. "The sand's in my mouth, it's in my brain—my tongue is now one with the desert! Just bury me here and call me Queen of Dust!"
To be continued...