Genno told them everything he knew about how they could possibly make it to the continent. He informed the group that the cavern they found themselves in was connected to the surface by a series of intricate paths. The path was long and not easy and it would take them several days before reaching the surface. But he also let them know that reaching the surface was not going to be the last of their issues.
Genno let them know that traveling the seas at this point was not going to be possible. Their theft of Arandu's portion of the artifact meant that the seas surrounding the area were not going to be navigable by any means. They would have to wait until enough time has passed before they could be sure that Arandu was nowhere near and that they could travel to the continent.
But once the seas were clear of Arandu's menace the sirens promised the group they would find them a vessel that would take them to the continent. This gift would be the last form of aid the sirens would provide to the group. Once they set sail for the continent the sirens would stay behind. The group agreed.
After that the group collapsed. They had been on the move for several hours now and the rush of energy they once had from their recent escapade started to wane. They all crashed but none as deeply as Zhi. Out of the group she was the one who had put the most on the line to make sure they barely escaped from the underwater palace.
The fight against the metal knight, the barrier she raised as they escaped from the crumbling palace, and the onslaught from Arandu had sapped her of nearly all her energy. The most she could do was lie down and softly whisper when she needed something. Nanaua would take of her, feeding her and carrying her if she needed to move.
The group rested for what seemed like an entire day before beginning their trek out of the cavern.
Simeon led the way, followed by Livia, Nanaua, who carried Zhi, and lastly Simeon. They were prepared for any danger they might face but the caverns were empty save for some small lizards that would occasionally jump out and give one of the members of the group a fright.
After a second full day of grueling climbing the group decided to rest.
They set up a fire and went about eating the fried meats they had packed.
Corin stayed up for his role as sentry, and Livia came up to her husband and sat next to him.
“You're not going to go in for the night?” Corin asked. He himself felt the yearning for sleep tear at him incessantly.
“I figured I would keep you some company.” Livia said as she placed her head on Corin’s shoulder. She was quiet and breathed softly. The rhythmic pattern lulled Corin into a state between sleep and wakefulness.
“Can you believe what we just accomplished?” Livia asked.
Corin snapped from his dream. Livia was looking at him. He caught her gaze and thought about her words. He had been focused on reaching the surface of the islands so the thought of what they had just accomplished had not really settled into his mind.
“Actually going into the lair of a Titan and stealing one of their most precious artifacts? It is hard to believe that we finished that and still lived to tell the tale.” Corin replied after some thought.
Livia’s face beamed.
“I wonder how those Titans feel now that we struck back at them?” She said as she smiled.
She put her head back down on Corin’s shoulder and fell asleep. Corin too was curious about what repercussions their recent heist might have.
After a full rest the group continued on their trek. As they continued they were able to hear something, the sound of the sea.
“We must be nearing the exit!” Simeon shouted in excitement.
Despite the sound of the sea growing louder the group did not find any light source. It was only when they were right at the mouth of the cave that they realized they had made their way out.
The outside world that they encountered was one that they did not expect. It was as dark as night outside, but the group was certain that it should at most be midday. The clouds above them were numerous and dark, the only source of light that they could see was the incessant displays of lightning that illuminated the sky.
The group found itself far inland, but they could hear the sea due to its furious crashing upon the rocky shore of the island they found themselves in. From their vantage point, the sea looked like a monster bathed in darkness, ready to swallow and destroy anything that might fall within its grasp. The waves would crash onto the island, sending splashes of salt water far above the rocky coast.
The ceaseless discharges of lightning, the continuous boom of the crashing thunder, the incessant beating of the ocean against the rocky coast and the pelting of the rain upon the group. The collective sounds were so loud, so powerful, that the group struggled to keep their wits about them as they stared out into the world.
“The titans are angry!” Simeon shouted out as the group stared in awe. Even shouting at his loudest his voice was barely audible.
There was no reaction to Simeon’s words, all of them stared at the furious scene. They all understood that this was the power of a single Titan. The power of a Titan that was hunting for them. This was the power that they were trying to challenge.
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“We need to head back inside!” Simeon shouted.
The group followed Simeon inside the cave. They moved for a while before stopping at a place where the furious rhapsody was more tolerable. The full gravity of their situation was now understood. As long as they were near this sea they would never be safe.
***
Day after day the Corin would reach the surface to see if the fury outside had subsided.
It was on the third day of his search that Corin first saw a ray of sunshine. The ray shone down on the vast sea in front of the island. With the lone ray of light shining on the ocean Corin could see various maelstroms on the surface of the sea. A reminder to Corin of the vast swath of territory ahead of them brimming with hostile intent.
By that point the group was running low on supplies, and Corin decided he needed to go out and try his best at finding anything he and the group could sustain themselves on. It took him hours of searching only to return with paltry sums of meat. Most of what he found was washed up fish that had been expelled from the sea by a wrathful Titan.
Even these minor successes did not bring the group much comfort. They knew their position was precarious and that any
There was rarely a moment that the group did not spend in silence. Conversation was a rare occurrence during their time in the caves.
After two more days of raging seas and endless storms, Corin was able to finally see the sun through the clouds. The next day, the sea began to calm down, and Corin and the rest were able to see a semblance of normalcy return to the area. The group began to talk amongst each other once again.
“How do we know when the sirens will come?” Zhi asked, now back to her old strength.
“The sirens told us that they would give us a clear signal. Clear enough to notice it from inland.” Simeon replied, his voice lacking the usual sureness.
Those were the instructions from the sirens, but he was beginning to doubt whether that would happen. They were all at the mercy of the sirens. The sirens had so far been invaluable allies, who had guided the group away from danger and saved them upon their exit from the underwater palace, but they had to content with surviving within Arandu’s domain, who seemingly had no end to his rage.
“Do you believe they will come to our aid?” Nanaua asked.
Simeon was quiet. His silence betrayed his feelings.
“I, I just don’t know. I think-” Simeon said.
“They will.” Corin interjected.
Simeon looked at Corin, as if surprised to hear his voice.
“I'm sure of it.” Corin added.
Corin felt emboldened by having survived Arandu’s rage. He might be lashing out in search of them, but that was all he could do. Corin knew that, and he knew the sirens were aware of that as well. Furtives knew how to survive.
Another day passed as the group awaited the signal. They kept to the inside of the caves as much as possible, trying to avoid being spotted by any agents of the leviathans or the dragons.
The next morning a loud shrill sound resonated through the cave. It shocked Corin awake from his slumber.
“What was that?” Zhi asked, confused and still half asleep.
Simeon was already halfway out of the cave by the time anyone was able to reply.
“It's here! The siren’s ship!” Simeon shouted in excitement.
The group ran to the edge of the cave. From their perch they could see the shore and saw the vessel. The ship was much larger than any other sea faring vessel they had seen before, but its design and construction was unmistakable from that of other siren ships. They had come through on their promise.
“Let's hurry!” Simeon urged the group.
They did not need the push as they were already on their way back to their campground to grab their items. The group hurried along and made their way to the shore.
At the shore they found a familiar face awaiting them, Nishandra. She looked to be in a state of excitement that the group had never seen her in before.
“My friends, I was worried that the storms had washed you all away!” Nishandra spoke with glee at seeing the group approach them.
“Worried for us? At least we were able to hide from the storms. The seas seemed so violent!” Livia replied.
“We know the seas very well. Though the seas were furious, it is not something that we could not survive.” Nishandra replied.
“Did you face any retaliation from Arandu?” Livia asked.
“Did we?” Nishandra asked loudly “Arandu destroyed every single furtive village he could find. Both inland and in the sea.”
There was no reaction from the group. Corin gnashed his teeth. It did not surprise him, but at the same time the anger it stoked within him was too raw.
“I feel so terrible. If it weren't for us, none of this would have happened.” Corin replied.
“Do not fret too much. We warned as many groups as we could of impending danger. There was much structural damage, but casualties were kept to a minimum. Arandu was so angry that he did not even notice that all the structures he was striking down were desolate. ” Nishandra replied.
The news eased Corin’s mind, but it still did not sit well with him.
“But still… so much destruction.” Corin began to argue.
“What did you expect Corin?” Nishandra asked. “Did you think that you were going to steal from a Titan and face no repercussions? When Gavlin, Genno and I decided to help you, we knew what was at stake. We knew that Arandu would strike out when his palace was raided. We knew that our very lives might be lost in our attempt to strike at the Titans. But we also thought that you felt the same way, that you knew the cost of trying to face the Titans. If you do not know that, if you feel that you cannot continue down this road, then everything that happened, all that distraction brought on by the Titans would have been for nothing. No even worse, in that case you would let the Titans win without even a fight.” Nishandra finished.
Corin was taken aback. He had nothing to say. He knew she was right and he knew that he needed to steel himself for what was to come.
“I understand. You are right.” Corin replied.
“I’m glad we understand each other.” Nishandra said.
“This is the craft that will take us to the continent?” Zhi asked Nishandra.
“That's correct. This ship is driven by the strongest sea steeds we could find. Ten days from now you should be arriving on the Eastern seaboard of the continent.” Nishandra mentioned.
“What should we expect on the voyage?” Nanaua asked.
“An endless ocean. A sea that stretches until the horizon with no end in sight. The seas between our islands and the continent are devoid of any land. This I have been told. I myself have never left the area near our sea.” Nishandra spoke.
“You are correct.” Simeon spoke up.
“It was over a decade ago when I traveled the sea that separates the continent from these islands. But I remember the vast nothingness I saw on my voyage, an unending blue.
So far did it stretch that I believed it would never end.” Simeon finished.
The group stared in silence at the large dark ship. Unlike the previous seafaring vessels that Corin had boarded from the sirens this one seemed comfortable for all occupants.
“This is it, then.” Livia said as she looked to the group.
“Correct. There is but one path left for us to take.” Simeon replied as he prepared to board the ship.
The group boarded the ship, all of them got on, save Livia.
Nishandra prepared to leave.
“If I may.” Livia said, and Nishandra paused.
“Without you or your friends we wouldn’t be here. Without the aid of the sirens, we would have all perished at the bottom of the ocean.” Livia said. “When we land on the continent, I want you to know that we will do everything we can to make sure that furtives do not have to live in fear of the Titans. And that is all possible to you and your kin.” Livia said.
“Our help may have been crucial, but this was not possible without you or your group. For centuries Titans have been mighty, and furtives have only survived, but that is slowly changing. A new world will soon come, one which you will help shape. I hope the world that comes is one that furtives are proud to call home.” Nishandra replied and dove underwater.