Chapter 16

"We must leave!" Kael yelled, pushing her back in the direction of the surface.

The item in Sophia's hand pulsed one last time, releasing a wave of energy that rippled through the water, producing a shockwave that threw them all off balance. The water surged violently around them, the pressure almost crushing. The sea became combative again. The leviathan's energy grew, and it spread across the depths like a poison.

As they swam upstream, the reef's remnants began to collapse around them. The coral walls split and crumbled, sinking into the abyss. The black creatures, their eyes flashing with wrath, withdrew into the depths, disappearing into the shadows.

Sophia and Kael broke through the surface, gasping for oxygen, their bodies heavy with exertion. The leviathan's growls echoed across the water, rattling the ocean's foundations.

"It's coming," Sophia said, her voice shaking. "It's already right here."

Kael did not respond. He did not want to. The look in his eyes told everything. They had stirred up something far worse than they had anticipated. And now they had to face the consequences.

The leviathan was awake, and nothing would ever be the same again.

Breaking the Tide

Aquaria became under siege.

The earthquakes that shook the city's foundations were caused by more than just the Leviathan's distant growls. They were from the Shark Clans, and they were launching a full-scale assault. The major wave had emerged from the ocean's depths, like legendary monsters. They had been attacking from all angles, using their fast, synchronized motions to test the palace's defenses. The waters appeared to quiver upon their approach.

Sophia stood in the center of the castle, her breath short and shallow as she looked about the great room. The surroundings became thick with urgency. The council had a long-term goal that devolved into chaos, with contributors scrambling to safeguard their own territories, leaving Tharros to organize the city's defense.

Tharros moved across the room, his gaze focused and calculating. "We don't have much time. The defenses will not last long in the face of a prolonged onslaught. "We need to push them again."

Sophia nodded as her thoughts raced. The last preparations for the binding ceremony were almost complete, but they were no match for the carnage unleashed by the Shark Clans. Every second counted now. Each choice should mean the difference between life and death for Aquaria.

"I'll help with the ritual," Sophia said with determination in her voice. "However, we need Kael and Arin with us. The power required to bind the Leviathan is too great for one person."

Tharros looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "I will not spare anyone. They're already overburdened protecting the road."

Sophia returned his gaze, her expression hardening. "If we don't stop the ritual, the barrier will come down. We do not have enough money to attend."

Tharros gritted his teeth but did not argue. "quality. However, you are all being targeted. This is our final hazard."

Kael and Arin were already getting ready the ritual website when Sophia and Tharros arrived. The chamber beneath the palace have been picked for its proximity to the ancient energy sources that would conduct the magic. but while they collected throughout the ritual circle, the barriers trembled with the power of the attack out of doors. The sound of clashing metal and the cries of conflict resonated trough the palace halls.

"you may experience it, can't you?" Arin remarked, her voice low as she grew to move closer to them. "The strength. It's building-rising with the conflict."

Sophia nodded. "The leviathan is feeding at the struggle. we've need to finish the rite now."

Tharros inspected the establishment, his face a masque of resolve. "let's get it executed."

While the 4 of them accumulated across the ritual circle, Kael's eyes lingered on Sophia, his demeanor challenging but laden with unsaid emotion. He became equipped, yet the weight of their duty appeared to dangle heavy on him.

"We're doing this collectively," Kael, his voice company, stated.

Sophia nodded sharply, her heart clenching. She could feel the weight of the assignment in advance. The ritual could demand everything from them. They would need to unify their powers in ways they hadn't done before. And in that union, they would either destroy the leviathan's grip on the earth... or unleash it completely.

However, before they could begin, a yell sounded from the passageway.

"Tharros!" A messenger rushed into the chamber, his face blanched with fear. "The Shark Clans have broken through the outer walls. We will not maintain them!"

Tharros' jaws constricted. "We're out of time."

Without saying anything further, he turned and hurried towards the palace's gates. The others observed, briefly leaving the ritual web site in the background. The struggle for Aquaria was already in progress, and every breath they drew seemed to mirror the intensity of the situation.

Outside, the war raged. The Shark Clans, unrelenting and brutal, had already begun their onslaught on Aquaria's heart. The palace's fortifications were under attack, and the sound of steel hitting scales echoed across the lake. Tharros led the charge, his blade shining in the low light, slicing through the enemies with accuracy. Kael, Arin, and Sophia watched, their weapons drawn, obstructing their path through the enemy trails.

Kael became in his element, his blade cutting through the water with lethal precision. Sophia's hydrokinesis flowed about her, using the currents to deflect and assault in one continuous motion. Arin, using her extensive knowledge of magic, constructed barriers of natural electricity to protect them from the continuous onslaught.

Even with their combined strength, the Shark Clans had been overwhelming. They fought with a depth born of desperation, from the starving that would inevitably result from the leviathan's rising. The assault was no longer just a struggle; it had evolved into a coordinated strike, a ritual in its own right, satisfying the leviathan's thirst.

As they fought their way through the turmoil, Kael came face to face with the Shark Clans' chief, an imposing figure with deep red eyes and a large trident. Their swords clashed, and Kael's breath came in short bursts as he focused fully on the fight.

"you believe you studied you could forestall us?" The commander snarled, his voice echoing throughout the pool. "The Leviathan is already conscious. It is far from a matter of desire. We are its heralds. "The waters may be remade.

Kael's coronary heart dropped. He realized the leader's words had been appropriate. The leviathan's energy was growing stronger by the second. However, he couldn't let them win.

"You're no longer the only ones who can manage the ocean," Kael hissed, rushing forward. The conflict was far from over, and their lives-and Aquaria's destiny-depended on the stability.

Lower back at the ritual location, the four of them had gathered, each concentrated on their respective component of the spell. Arin stood in the center, her arms uplifted, chanting the old incantations. The air surrounding them pulsed with strength, yet something seemed odd. The energy didn't flow as it should. Sophia should be stressed because her powers are no longer acting as expected.

"We want to attention!" Arin shouted, her voice straining with effort. "the connection has to be perfect!"

Sophia nodded, but her thoughts raced. The enemy was at their doorstep. The leviathan's electricity evolved into a feeding frenzy, and they needed to act quickly.

As they finished the final incantation, the ground underneath them rocked and the chamber's dividers began to crumble. The water around them churned wildly, as if the ocean itself had rejected the rite.

"This isn't just the Shark Clans," Tharros whispered quietly, a palpable fear creeping in his chest. "The leviathan's have an impact on is pushing lower back."

Arin's eyes expanded. "It is battling us! It did not allow us to regulate it.

The air became heavy with anxiety as the final words of the ritual were spoken, but just as the barrier began to solidify, the Shark Clans played their trump card. Abyssal magic inundated the palace, undermining its defenses. The barrier flickered and then cracked, sending shockwaves into the ocean.

"No!" Arin wailed, her palms reaching out urgently to keep the spell. However, the magic faded away, being drawn into the abyssal depths.

"We ought to hold them off!" Tharros shouted. "The barrier will fall. "We need to finish this now!"

Outside, the battle raged on, but the voices of the fallen were drowned out by the leviathan's growls, which echoed through the deep depths. As the barrier eventually collapsed, the ocean around Aquaria trembled. The presence of the leviathan no longer posed a threat; it was now right here.

The city held its breath as the final Shark Clans were pushed back, but as the sounds of conflict faded, a new sound filled the air-low, guttural, and far more horrifying than anything before. The leviathan's voice echoed through the currents, threatening destruction.

Aquaria had survived the attack, but the real war had only begun.

The Leviathan Stirs

The ocean trembled. It was slight at first, a vibration that shook the very basis of Aquaria, but it has swiftly become clear. The town trembled as if the ocean itself had awakened, stretching and groaning as it emerged from the depths. The air became dense with salt and fear. No one knew how much longer the town's partitions could withstand the leviathan's energies.

Sophia stood on the balcony, her palms holding the railing and staring out into the horizon. The ocean, which was once serene and pure, has darkened and rippled with artificial waves. The air became heavy with anxiety, as if the planet was holding its breath.

"Be prepared," Tharros murmured behind her, his voice low and full of grim determination. He stood upright, looking every bit the chief he had become, yet even his stern demeanor couldn't conceal the weight of the situation. "It's going on."

Sophia nodded, but her heart raced in her chest. She had known this second becoming was coming and felt it in her bones for days. The leviathan grew, and everything Aquaria had built ended up on the road.

A enormous figure emerged from the depths, so large and incomprehensible that the ocean appeared to fold under its weight. The leviathan's appearance like a nightmare come to life, with its coiled frame rippling through the water and casting a shadow over the entire city. Its eyes gleamed with an ancient flame, a dark, malicious power that seemed to reach the very soul of the water.

"We don't have time," Kael said, his voice consistent but full of desperation. "The city's fortifications won't last much longer. "We want to finish what we started."

Sophia turned to him, her expression fading. She had felt the draw of the Leviathan before, but this time it was more particular. This time, however, its strength became all-consuming, drowning everything in its wake. The leviathan got fully awake, and its hunger became insatiable.

Tharros improved, his eyes narrowing as he took in the massive beast emerging from the depths. "We'll want every best friend we can get." The prophecy is no longer a fiction; it is a caution. Either we stop this now or we lose everything."

The streets of Aquaria were already in pandemonium. The echoes of the leviathan's growl resonated throughout the town, causing panic among the residents. The palace walls shook, and beyond, the ocean surged in reaction to the leviathan's awakening.

"Absolutely everyone is afraid," Sophia replied, her voice shaking. "What if the prophecy is wrong?" "What if we can't prevent it?"

Kael's hand lingered on her shoulder, his eyes soft but steady. "We will stop it. collectively."

Inside the council room, Aquaria's leaders were disorganized. Some advocated for rapid evacuation, while others persisted on preparing for battle. The tension was rising as allies debated whether the prophecy that had brought them together would be their salvation-or their demise. They were divided, unsure whether their most powerful wish had transformed into the ritual they'd all begun, or if they were on their way to certain death.

Arin paced, her expression stern, as she read through the historical passages again. "There's a manner," she said to herself. "There's usually a manner."

"What manner?" Tharros inquired, his voice filled with impatience. He became truly suffering in order to keep the council together, while his awareness dwindled among them and anarchy erupted outside.

"The ritual," Arin explained. "It can tie the Leviathan, but it requires anyone. Our powers are united. It no longer effectively prevents the leviathan. It is roughly controlling it. The most useful question is if we're powerful enough."

Sophia advanced. "The attachment I felt... is more than just fear. The leviathan seems to want me there, as if it is reaching out to me. If I can manage it, maybe I can use that connection to stop it."

Kael shakes his head. "Sophia, you could't-"

"I have to," she interrupted, her voice full of conviction. "It's my simplest desire."

"Wait," Arin said, her gaze piercing as she appeared among them. "There is a trap. Sophia, the ritual demands more than your power. It takes from you. It bonds you to the Leviathan for all time."

Sophia's heartbeat skipped. "What does that imply?"

Arin hesitated, her expression solemn. "It means that in order to avoid it, you must provide a portion of yourself. "Something you can never get back."

Sophia's thoughts raced. The weight of the decision slammed against her chest. The leviathan's electricity grew, feeding off the worry, turmoil, and damage it caused. Should she sacrifice herself to shop Aquaria? Or would it be an enormous quantity, too unsafe to attempt?

"I'll do it," Sophia said, her voice steady even as her insides twisted with uncertainty. "I'm prepared."

Kael's hand met hers, his grip strong. "I can't lose you," he said quietly, but without hesitation. "We'll do that together."

The floor trembled as the leviathan's roar shattered the air and echoed over Aquaria's streets. The city was awash in terror. The waters across the palace had risen, pounding into the barriers, and the ocean outside no longer provided a calming pressure. It evolved into a beast, a dwelling pressure of nature that tried to eat everything in its path.

"We don't have much time," Tharros stated, his voice full of desperation. "It's now or in no way."

Sophia, Kael, Arin, and Tharros navigated to the ritual webpage online, deep within the palace. As they entered the chamber, the air was thick with electricity, and the walls were alive with the power of the magic they were about to perform.

Kael and Arin took their positions, side by side with Tharros. Sophia walked into the middle, her heart thumping. The water inside the room began to move, swirling around her as her link to the leviathan grew. The ocean seemed to respond to her, with a diffused current of energy pouring through the waves.

As they began the incantation, the waves outside grew louder. The lightning of the leviathan's presence shocked Aquaria to its core. Sophia should have felt it within herself, a profound, bone-chilling starvation that turned her stomach.

But she held solid, concentrating on the energy she needed to harness. The ritual evolved into operation-slowly and brutally, but it was working. Her link to the leviathan became clear, and she should be able to feel its raw energy rushing through her veins. The others were focused, their energies mixing, but Sophia's might became the driving force, drawing them toward the binding they needed to form.

But even as the ceremony began to take effect, the leviathan's growl echoed again. This time, it became unique-deeper, more primal. It was no longer merely a sound. It transformed into a force, a wave of energy that swept over them like a tidal wave.

Sophia gasped as the leviathan's might overwhelmed her senses. She felt it clawing at her, reaching into her soul and threatening to devour her. The arena around her blurred as the binding began to form, but it became increasingly harder to hang on. The ceremony eventually took its toll.

"maintain on, Sophia!" Kael shouted, his voice distant, as the room twisted around her.

The water inside the chamber rose, and Sophia cried out as the leviathan's roar grew louder. The sea was alive with rage, and he or she should have felt it pulling at her, pushing her deeper into its depths.

However, she refused to break. She could not. The city depended on her.

With one more rush of strength, the binding was completed. The water surrounding them exploded in a blast of light. The leviathan's roar faded as it disappeared into the depths. However, as the light faded, the environment around them appeared to tremble in response to the Leviathan's remaining influence.

Sophia sank to her knees, her breathing ragged, but the town had been saved-for now.

However, as she looked up, she should pay attention to it, which was dim but distinct. The Leviathan's voice continued to ring across the currents, proclaiming that the conflict was only just getting started.

Sophia’s Leadership

Aquaria had survived the preliminary wave. The leviathan was forced back, at least for the time being, but the city was far from healed. The streets were littered with rubbish, and the previously clean coral barriers were now scarred by the scars of war. The air became thick with the leftovers of fear and the looming presence of the abyss, yet for the first time in days, the sun broke through the clouds, sending a dim light over town.

Sophia stood on the royal balcony, watching as the town slowly recovered. Her heart was heavy with the weight of everything that had happened, everything she had seen, but there was a sense of calm now, a deep tranquility that allowed her to breathe.

However, that peace became unstable.

The once-divided council had begun to unite under Tharros' leadership, but Sophia may want to witness the shifting tides. They were now attempting to see her as more than just a symbol of desire, but as someone capable of making decisions and leading them into an uncertain future.

But what does it mean to steer? She wondered, her head clouded with uncertainty. She has always been one to follow and learn from others, but now, in the aftermath of the Leviathan's waking, the sector is turning to her to lead them forward.

"Sophia," Tharros said, interrupting her thoughts. He stood behind her, his voice lower than usual, and his presence grounding. "We want you inside. "The council is ready."

Sophia grew to become to him, her eyes fatigued yet determined. "I understand. Let's move."

Within the palace, the council had already assembled. The anxiety was evident as each delegate took their place, focusing on Sophia. Tharros was at the head of the table, but it became clear that he could not lead this assembly on his own. Sophia's presence was essential today, not as a mere figurehead, but as a decision-maker.

"Thanks for joining us," Tharros said, his voice regular but with a hushed eagerness. "The main priority is to maintain the dominion. We've made some progress, but there are still concerns about the Shark Clans' next move."

Sophia sat down, the room's focus fixed on her. Her arms lightly beat against the desk, a nervous dependence she had not fully shook. "We do not have the money to continue expecting the Shark Clans to comply. We need a proactive strategy.

Arin, sitting next her, leaned forward. "Agreed. However, we must also consider the long-term consequences. The leviathan isn't long gone. It is still there, deep within, and its influence has only just begun."

Sophia gazed at Arin, feeling the weight of her words. They had managed to confine the leviathan for the time being, but its lightning remained a constant threat, casting a huge shadow over everything. She should still feel its presence, hiding just beneath the floor of her thoughts. Every vibration in the water told her that it had not really been that long.

"We want to form alliances," Sophia said, her voice calm, her confidence growing with each syllable. "The Shark Clans can be a problem, but they may just be one part of the solution. If we want to rebuild, we need the guide from each kingdom. We seek unity, not only in defense, but also in reason."