Several days had passed since the ship entered the endless tunnel, and the monotony had begun to wear on Noel. The scenery never changed—stone walls rising high on either side, water stretching forward in a straight path that seemed to have no end.
He leaned against the railing on the forward deck, Revenant Fang resting at his side, watching the faint glow of the mana crystals set into the walls. For once, things felt quiet.
Then the air shifted.
A low hum vibrated through the hull, subtle at first, then strong enough to make the rail tremble under his grip. Noel frowned, straightening. The water beneath the ship shimmered unnaturally, as if tiny sparks danced across its surface.
He narrowed his eyes. The glow spread quickly, streaks of blue and violet arcing like liquid lightning along the tunnel walls.
'What the hell…?'
