Chapter Sixty-Two:

“Beneath and Beyond”

The Aetheris soared through the night, its hull gliding effortlessly over the Celestial Sea. Below, the water seemed to stretch into infinity, its surface littered with bioluminescent life, each tiny fragment of light mirroring the stars above. The sea and sky blended into one vast, endless expanse, broken only by the occasional wave hinting at the presence of things lurking below.

Emily leaned against the railing of the upper deck, elbows resting on the smooth, timeworn metal. The chill of the ocean air carried a sharp edge, laced with the unmistakable scent of salt and brine. Her gaze drifted downward, watching as a school of sapphire-lit fish skittered across the surface, their delicate trails weaving constellations within the water. Further out, deeper shadows drifted beneath the glow, vast and unmistakable, their forms gliding in the depths.

She had seen oceans, many times before, but never like this. But this one was different, twisted yet beautiful, vast and unknowable, as mesmerizing as it was ominous.

A presence approached from behind. She knew without turning who it was, Leo’s steps carried weight, not in sound, but in presence. He wasn’t brooding, not quite, but there was something in the way he held himself lately that suggested he was still adjusting. His life had been war and this game, from what she had heard, had been no different.

“Didn't think I'd ever see an ocean, let alone one like this.” He said. He stopped a few feet away, arms crossed as he took in the sight.

She nodded. “Enjoy it while you can.”

Further down the deck, Asha stood near one of the forward railings, flipping a vial between her fingers absentmindedly. She wasn’t admiring the view. She was calculating. Watching. Preparing for what came next.

Lucinda was perched on the edge of a storage crate, her hands resting lightly on her lap. She hadn’t spoken much since they began the voyage over the sea, but then again, none of them had.

A disturbance spread through the water below, disturbing the constellation-like glow of the smaller creatures. Something massive stirred deep beneath, so large that its movement sent the smaller creatures darting away in all directions.

Emily stiffened slightly, fingers brushing the railing, but she did not step back. Do not show fear. Do not acknowledge it. The Aetheris was beyond its reach. That much, she knew. But knowing didn’t mean not fearing.

From the abyss, a single tentacle breached the surface.

It glowed, not in the soft, ethereal shimmer of the smaller creatures, but in deep, pulsating veins of molten red. It rose higher, reaching, extending cautiously into the open air, tasting the world beyond the water. The sheer scale of it was staggering, wide enough to flatten a galleon, strong enough to break the sky if given the chance.

It reached.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Higher.

Higher.

Then.

It fell.

The weight of its collapse sent a towering wave cascading outward, shattering the glowing calm of the sea. Water hissed and churned as the creature vanished back into the abyss, its attempt thwarted by distance, by inevitability.

The Aetheris remained untouched, far above the sea’s grasp. The only sign that it had even noticed them was the single, longing reach toward the sky.

Silence settled once more, broken only by the wind cutting through the open deck.

Emily let out a slow breath, measured, even. Leo turned toward her, an expression she couldn't quite place crossing his face.

“Not sure if I feel relieved,” he muttered, “or disappointed.”

She said nothing. Just gripped the railing and watched the sea below swallow the last remnants of the disturbance.

Asha approached Emily and Leo, her steps steady against the deck as the sea stretched endlessly below. She stopped beside them, her posture firm, the cool night air carrying the distant sound of a storm approaching.

"Amari says we should reach Aetheria by dawn," she said, glancing briefly from one to the other. "Emberwood Village by mid-morning."

Emily nodded, absorbing the information. Asha exhaled, her voice lighter but firm. "We should rest till then."

Leo pushed himself up from the rail. "Agreed." He motioned for them to go ahead. "Ladies first."

With that, they all headed inside the Aetheris, leaving the vast, glowing ocean behind. Emily hesitated for a moment, watching the sea shimmer one last time before turning and entering the heart of their sanctuary.

The common room was warm, dimly lit, its worn interior carrying the quiet hum of a ship at ease. At the center table, Amari and Ankit sat across from each other, deep in a match of Spells: The Summoning. The table between them was scattered with elaborate cards, some glowing faintly, others pulsing with various enchantments.

Ankit leaned back, shaking his head as he eyed the board. "You know, I betcha if we had a rule book that combo would be considered illegal."

Amari smirked, barely glancing up. "Good thing we don’t have a rule book then, huh?"

Emily’s attention drifted past them. On the far side of the room, Lucinda had settled beside Lily, her hands moving with care as she checked on the younger girl. Across the way, Evelyn lounged on the couch, absentmindedly fiddling with her whip, its length twisting between her fingers.

Leo and Asha moved toward the table, drawn in by the unfolding game. Leo arched a brow, studying the scattered cards. "Seems easy enough. Dibs on winner."

Ankit and Amari both looked up at him in unison.

"Your funeral," Ankit said dryly.

He squinted, scrutinizing Amari with a curious gleam. "You sure you never played any TCGs before?"

Asha smirked. "Don’t blow too much smoke up there. We wouldn’t want his head getting any bigger."

Laughter filled the room, easy, unforced. Emily remained by the doorway, taking it all in. She had learned much about her new companions since coming aboard the Aetheris, but so much was still left unspoken.

Ankit, Lucinda, and Evelyn had all entered the Dive from Melbourne, Australia. Emily shuddered as she recalled how Lucinda had met the others, the impossible choice the healer had been forced to make.

Ankit had only vaguely mentioned an older brother and a girl he considered a sister but stopped before going further in detail. No one had pushed him. The same had been true for Evelyn, she spoke of how she had done what she had needed to do to survive. In 2047, she had been sick, dying, and something horrible had happened to a friend, someone who had looked up to her. After getting revenge, she had entered the Dive to die, but fate had other plans. She hadn’t expected the sadistic choice Gameweaver created, or the healer with a heart of gold that chose her out of so many. Yet, here they were.

Asha and Amari, the pilots of their sanctuary, were easier to read. They had fought to survive and thrived within chaos. Emily wished she could have seen their death race across the storm-ridden desert, from the sidelines, of course.

Her focus shifted, settling on Leo. She took a breath, then stepped closer. "So, I know everyone else's story… mostly anyway. What’s yours?"

Leo turned to her, the easy energy of the room dimming slightly. He straightened, composed himself, then met her gaze.

"Would you like to hear how I developed my fear of fire?"