chapter 38
The storm hadn't ended.
It lingered—
like something watching.
Waiting.
---
Inside her room, the Princess sat in silence.
The faint creaking of the ship echoed around her, mixing with distant thunder. Rain tapped endlessly against the walls—soft, but relentless.
Her hands rested in her lap.
Still.
But not calm.
Her thoughts refused to settle.
---
John: "It's… okay… just give me the torch."
Her fingers curled slowly.
Princess (under her breath): "…Idiot."
There was no anger in it.
Only something softer.
Something far more dangerous.
---
She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, staring at the wooden floor.
Water dripped from her hair, forming dark spots beneath her feet.
She didn't notice.
Her chest felt tight again.
That feeling.
Unfamiliar.
Unavoidable.
---
Princess (whispering): "…Why does he do that…?"
A pause.
Princess: "Why does he always step in like that?"
---
Her mind replayed it—
The burn.
The blood.
The smile.
---
Her hand rose unconsciously, pressing against her chest.
Her heartbeat was faster than it should be.
Princess (thinking): When did this start…?
When did John stop being just… someone of interest?
Someone reckless?
When did his voice start lingering in her thoughts?
When did his presence start feeling—
She inhaled sharply.
"…No."
---
But the denial didn't land.
Not this time.
Her eyes softened, unfocused.
He meant it.
There was no hesitation in him.
No confusion.
No distance.
And that—
that was what made her hesitate.
---
Princess (barely a whisper): "…I don't get to feel like this."
Almost lost to the storm.
She was a princess.
There were expectations.
Limits.
Lines she wasn't meant to cross.
And yet—
Her lips parted slightly.
A quiet breath escaped.
Princess (softly): "…But I—"
---
BOOOOOOOOM—!!!
The entire ship lurched violently.
The impact was brutal.
Walls shook. Wood cracked. The floor shifted hard enough to throw her off balance.
Her eyes snapped wide.
Princess: "What—?!"
---
Another sound followed.
Not thunder.
Not waves.
A deep—
monstrous roar.
It vibrated through the ship itself.
Her heart dropped.
Princess (thinking): …That's not normal.
---
She was already moving.
The door flew open as she rushed into the corridor. Boots struck fast against the floor. Voices echoed outside—panic, confusion, shouting over the storm.
She reached the deck—
—and stopped.
---
The ocean had changed.
The waves didn't crash—
They pulled back.
As if something beneath them was forcing the sea apart.
---
Then—
It rose.
---
A massive, glowing Blue Fily surged from the depths, water cascading off its body in torrents. Its form shifted—round, unstable, alive—
And enormous.
The Princess's breath caught.
Princess: "…What… is that…?"
---
Across the deck—
Chris stood frozen for a fraction of a second.
Beside him—
Guinevere's lips slowly curled into a grin.
Guinevere: "…Ahh~ now this is interesting."
Chris didn't smile.
His expression hardened.
Chris (under his breath): "…No way…"
Lightning tore across the sky—
Illuminating the creature fully.
It was the size of the ship.
Maybe bigger.
Chris exhaled slowly.
Chris (grim): "…That's the mother."
Guinevere tilted her head.
Guinevere: "…Mother?"
Chris nodded, eyes locked on it.
Chris: "…The Blue Filies we fought before… those were just offspring."
A pause.
Chris: "…This one hasn't been seen in decades."
---
The sea rumbled again.
The creature pulsed.
Chris's grip tightened.
Chris: "…And if it's here…"
His voice dropped.
Chris: "…then something's very wrong."
---
Guinevere's grin widened.
Guinevere: "…Good."
---
The creature moved.
Not fast—
But heavy.
Unstoppable.
John ran onto the deck, breath uneven.
John: "…What the—"
He stopped mid-step.
---
The massive Fily pulsed—
Then—
It opened.
Small circular points formed across its body—
Light gathering inside.
---
Marco's eyes widened.
Marco (shouting): "EVERYONE—MOVE!!"
BOOOOOOOOM—!!!
Massive fireballs erupted from the creature—
Tearing through the storm—
Slamming into the deck—
EXPLOSION.
Wood shattered.
Flames spread instantly.
"Spread out!" Chris shouted.
Panic exploded across the ship.
Soldiers scattered—
Some slipping—
Some barely dodging the next incoming blast.
Another fireball.
Then another.
The creature didn't need to move.
It just—
fired.
---
Guinevere laughed—
dodging one by inches—
then cutting through a smaller fragment mid-air.
Guinevere (wild grin): "One after another—hah! I'll finish you!"
Chris blocked another attack, teeth clenched.
Chris: "…You're insane!"
She spun, slicing again.
Guinevere: "But this is fun!"
---
Nearby—
The Princess pulled a soldier away from spreading flames.
Princess: "Get up! Move!"
John appeared beside her, sword drawn.
John: "You okay?"
A fireball crashed nearby—
forcing them apart.
Chris shouted over the chaos:
Chris: "We need to get close!"
The Princess glanced at him mid-fight.
Princess: "…To that thing?!"
Chris: "If we keep our distance, we lose!"
Another explosion proved his point.
Flames spread wider.
The ship groaned.
Marco stumbled toward them, panic rising.
Marco: "At this rate—!"
He pointed to the burning deck.
Marco: "THE SHIP WON'T LAST!"
That hit harder than anything.
The Princess looked around.
Fire.
Smoke.
Chaos.
They were losing...
John turned sharply.
John: "Close combat! That's our only chance!"
---
They moved.
Chris.
Guinevere.
John.
The Princess.
All pushing forward—
toward the monster.
Fire rained down.
Closer.
Faster.
Guinevere cut through one—
BOOM!
She burst through the explosion—
still advancing.
John deflected another—
sliding back from the force.
Another—
He barely dodged—
flames grazing his side.
---
The Princess followed.
A faint green energy flickered around her.
Closer.
Closer—
---
The creature reacted.
Its glow intensified.
Then—
bigger fireballs.
Faster.
Heavier.
---
BOOOOOOOM—!!!
A massive section of the deck exploded.
The ship tilted violently.
Soldiers fell.
Shouts filled the air.
They were pushed back—
again.
Princess (gritting her teeth): "…Damn it…"
Guinevere skidded to a stop—
breathing harder now—
but still smiling.
Another fireball—
They dodged—
barely.
Chris staggered slightly.
Caught himself.
This wasn't working.
They couldn't get close.
They couldn't win
Another explosion.
Closer.
Louder.
Marco's voice rang out again—
desperate now:
Marco: "WE'RE GOING TO SINK AT THIS RATE!"
Silence hit—
just for a second.
John (thinking): Tch… there's no way out… I have to—
That was it.
Time was gone.
---
John stopped.
In the middle of chaos.
Not moving.
Not reacting.
Princess: "…John?"
No answer.
The storm seemed to fade around him.
And then—
His eye glowed.
A deep—
burning—
red.
The Princess froze.
Princess: "…What…?"
---
A faint aura rose from him.
At first—
barely visible.
Then stronger.
Heat.
Pressure.
Something unnatural.
Chris noticed.
Chris: "…What is he—?"
Guinevere's grin sharpened.
Guinevere: "…Oh… again…"
The red glow spread—
From his eye—
Down his arm—
Into his sword—
Flames ignited along the blade.
Wild.
Unstable.
Alive.
John lifted his head slowly.
His voice—
low.
Certain.
John: "…I have a way."
...CHAPTER 38 END...