The silver moon hovered above us, casting its dazzling glow across the night sky like it was trying to outshine the stars. And those stars? They were shimmering non-stop, painting the heavens with light while we stood in awe beneath it all. It was pitch black now, so dark I could barely see a thing unless it was right in front of me. We stood at the edge of a towering red cliff, connected to a network of canyons that overlooked the mighty Gadian Sea.
The waves were roaring—wild at first, smashing into each other with powerful crashes—then calmly retreating like they were catching their breath. Fish and dolphins leapt into the air in synchronized bursts of energy, diving back into the churning foam. The water was a blur of white and blue, fizzing like soda as it splashed against itself. It echoed beautifully across the sea.
We all stood there, staring down at the deep, mysterious water. Then Prince, of course, broke the silence. "Alright, so here's the thing… HOW DO WE GET UNDERWATER WITHOUT DROWNING?!" he screeched, clearly panicking while peering into the abyss.
Here's the situation: Demaurion and Power? They're chill. They can breathe underwater like it's Tuesday. I can survive in space—so flex. Olsen's got underground breathing handled. And Prince? He can shatter air pressure with his raw lightning energy. But underwater breathing? Nah. Only Power and Demaurion got that skill set.
Power, the walking cheat code, could probably do anything if he wanted—but even he's got his limits. Demaurion though? Water is his whole vibe. He literally uses the Water Element and was born in the freaking Gadian Sea. A Leviathan by birth. Dude got sea monster DNA the minute he turned three.
Demaurion suddenly pulled out four glowing coins from a pouch and tossed them at us with a smug grin. "Think fast!"
We all fumbled, caught them, and stared at the shimmering blue glow. Each coin was ocean-deep blue with a carved water droplet logo glowing faintly. A soft liquid glow pulsed inside the engraved lines.
"What are these?" I asked, tilting my head.
"They're called Gais," Demaurion said, not looking at me, eyes locked on the waves. "As long as you're touching one, you can breathe underwater. No time limit."
"Huh," I said, pocketing mine. The others did the same.
Then Demaurion smirked as water started to swirl around his feet. "Now… who's ready to get wet?"
Archie, of course, didn't wait. His fiery Phoenix wings ignited behind him as he leapt off the cliff and cannonballed into the sea, fire trailing before being instantly extinguished. SPLASH.
We all exchanged looks. "LET'S GO!" I yelled, launching myself off the cliff like a missile. I dove into the water with a massive splash and instantly felt the shift—it was peaceful. Like floating in a dream.
Underwater, everything changed.
The ocean floor was glowing with radiant coral in every color imaginable—red, pink, yellow, even glowing greens and whites. It looked like an underwater metropolis. Huge dune valleys housed coral-built structures. Ridges shot upward, pierced by thin, smooth stones that formed natural buildings with windows glowing from within. It was surreal—like an entire city breathing beneath the waves.
Schools of fish swam past, dolphins zigzagged playfully, and sharks cruised like guards on patrol. Clownfish peeked out of coral crevices. A hammerhead drifted past me like I wasn't even there. Eels lurked beside the rocky ridge homes, their eyes blinking with eerie calm.
"This... This is beautiful," I whispered, finally touching the ocean floor. Demaurion stood ahead, arms crossed, eyes soft. "I know, right? I miss this place…"
The others landed with big splashes, staring around in shock and awe. I walked beside Demaurion and nudged him with a smirk. "Didn't know you had a soft side for your hometown. You're usually the guy trying to bite someone's head off—"
"SHUT UP BEFORE I KILL YOU!" he snapped, face bright red.
Still has that short fuse. Classic Demaurion.
Glowing fish danced through the water, illuminating the sea like living lanterns. Pink and blue shells dotted the ground, each one casting a faint shimmer. I looked up, and through the surface of the water, the moon looked impossibly massive—like a divine silver eye watching over us.
"I think everyone's asleep," Olsen said, scanning the deserted cityscape.
He was right. The lights were on, but not a single soul in sight. No movement. Just calm water.
Demaurion raised his arms and formed a sleek dinghy out of water, motioning for us to hop on. We climbed in, and the boat responded with a soft gurgle, beginning to glide forward on its own.
"Take us to Reef City," Demaurion whispered.
And just like that, we were off.
We passed under massive stone arches and swam past intricate coral towers. It was like gliding through a dream. Eventually, we arrived at Reef City—and whoa, it was wild.
The citizens here were literal water beings. Their bodies rippled like liquid statues, cruising along in boats made from polished wood. Some vessels drifted slowly, others sped past in a rush. Massive ridges framed the area, and long, thin rock spires poked from the cliffsides like ribs. Lights flickered in small window-like gaps—homes, maybe.
We traveled deeper into the city, passing through narrow canyons where coral grew from every crevice. Schools of fish swirled above us, turtles napped on ledges, and more underwater life zoomed past.
This place? Yeah, it definitely made the Top 10 list of Beautiful Places in Avangard.
Still... I noticed something. All the civilians were made of water—except Demaurion.
I turned to him, brows raised. "Yo... why are you the only one here with skin?"
He paused. Then answered, voice low but steady.
"Well… My mom went into labor before she could get back to the Gadian Kingdom. We were still on Iris Town's shore after visiting my grandfather. I was... impatient. Kicking like crazy. Acting like her stomach was a jail cell. I forced my way out before we reached the hospital."
I blinked. "So you were born on the shore?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "My parents were pure water-beings. I wasn't. I didn't get a water body—I was born with skin. I was still Oceananite, but... different. Everyone made fun of me. Called me names. I had friends, but during the Flamemanite-Oceananite War, they all—" His voice cracked. "They didn't make it."
He swallowed hard.
"So I made a choice," he said, gripping his trident. "Run from those nightmares… or fight them. And I chose to fight. I am Demaurion Payton—the Leviathan boy. And I will become a Hero of Avangard. Not just to fulfill the prophecy, but so no one ever sees me as a freak again."
I smiled. "Keep dreaming, bro. I believe in you."
I leaned back and exhaled. "Y'know... I wanted to be a Hero too. I used to be such a clown. Nobody thought I had what it takes. But now? After being chosen for this prophecy, becoming a Celestianite commander... I finally feel like I matter."
Then—RRRRRRRRMMMMMMM.
The water trembled.
Our heads whipped around. A massive cave loomed in the distance, covered in coral and moss. Then… a low, bone-shaking roar echoed through the abyss.
We'd reached the edge of Reef City. It was darker here. The bright blues faded into navy shadows.
I checked the map. My eyes widened.
"We're at the Leviathan Pool," I whispered.
"Can this boat turn around?!" I shouted. But it was too late.
A massive blue tentacle lashed from the depths and grabbed the boat. We were flung upward, sky-high, all of us screaming, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
SPLAAAAAASH!
The boat hit the water again—but before we could breathe, the Leviathan rose.
Its head breached the surface, casting a shadow that swallowed the sea. Its glowing golden eyes stared us down. Mist rolled in. The wind howled. Waves began to churn violently.
"OH GREAT! WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NOW—FIGHT THIS GUY?!"
It looked like a colossal sea dragon with sharp, clean rows of 100 teeth. Its face was serpentine, covered in sleek scales of stormy blue and purple. Eight enormous cyan tentacles flexed and twitched, each one strong enough to snap our boat in half.
Then came the tsunami—towering, unstoppable.
"WATCH OUT!" I yelled.
Demaurion leapt from the boat and slashed the wave in half with a swipe of his arm. Water scattered into mist, sparkling under the moonlight. He now stood on the water, transformed into his Leviathan hybrid form—his tail glistening, his body scarred, but his spirit unshaken.
He raised his trident, glaring down the ancient sea monster. "Come and get me… you Leviathan beast."