Abyss

CHAPTER 5

- OPHELIA'S AID -

The commissioner's office wasn't really what Darius had wanted to be in. More people had decided to give them weird stares as they walked inside and tried to find Ophelia, Calista's sister. The atmosphere was cozy and warm, it was just the reaction of those inside that bothered them. Aloysius even tried avoiding the gazes thrown at them but to no avail.

As they walk the endless hallway, Aloysius' face contorted into a bored one. Darius could already tell that Aloysius just wants to go back to the ship and wait for them instead of having to find a woman who seems to disappear every time they want to approach her to have a chat.

"She must be here this time, right?" There was a bit of impatience that lingered Aloysius' voice as soon as Calista entered a room. This time, Darius and Aloysius both widened their eyes when they saw Calista suddenly greeting her sister and Ophelia being cheerful as always — running towards her sister's embrace.

When they had finally pulled away from each other's embrace, Ophelia's lips curled into a smile. "Surely, you went here for a reason, sister."

Calista looked at both Darius and Aloysius — who fell silent when they saw the woman in front of them. If Calista had a sweet alluring vibe around her, Ophelia would have the leader type of woman vibe just lingering all around her. However, Calista was the one with leadership skills. Ophelia was the one good at socialization, that is.

"We might need a permit to get across the Regimere," Darius answered as soon as Calista's eyes fell on him. He knew that Calista was telling them to speak and so he did, not wanting to experience his lover's wrath again on the ship for later.

Ophelia twirled the pen on her fingers before turning her back to them. They could see her thinking deeply about what decision to make. It took her a few minutes before she suddenly asked a question they never expected her to say. "Well, I can give you that. But are you that ready to lose your lives on the sea?"

"I'm pretty sure that the Regimere isn't that dangerous," Calista replied and Darius could see Calista's sister giving her sister a weird look, her eyebrows raised in astonishment before shaking her head in disappointment.

"Calista, Regimere is something different, you know?" Her cheerful mood had gotten bitter and Darius noticed that. "It's a sea full of mysterious disappearing and creatures yet to be discovered."

"Additional to that, the residents had reported numerous sightings of fishes dying and people getting missing on the Abyss." Darius and Aloysius both have each other a look as soon as the abyss was mentioned. Ah, Devon's cradle. It was active again.

Calista's arms crossed and closed her eyes at this. "I'm sure that it might be natural phenomena-"

"Surely, it's not. Look, I know that you're the one who knows more about this, considering that you've been researching this for who knows how long. But, hear me out."

There was a slight silence that echoed in the room but it was quickly replaced by Ophelia's voice.

"The duke of stormy seas shouldn't be taken lightly. Last week, a missing report was filed for our thirteen sailors that were just about to get cargo from Arkenheilm," she told the three people with a warning tone. "I'd stay at Everfrost for the meantime if I were you."

Ophelia then started to talk more about the Regimere.

According to her, the Regimere was first an empty sea. Not much land and much further than Ravenbourne and Everfrost. It was a smooth sailing route for sailors and plentiful of treasures than the Jade Sea. However, one of the past sailors had awoken the creature living in the depths by taking its own treasure, a pearl so majestic that it could shine the whole sea underneath.

The Archon's treasure, as they called it.

This had sparked the wrath of the creature that lived under the sea for five hundred years ago. And now, it seeks sailors with the same greed and disrespect, hoping to find the treasure that had gone missing for centuries. Legend has it that the treasure was deep in the Malum's Trench, in the center of Arkenheilm, taken by the mermaids of the wandering hallows, or even placed in the lost city of Gryndale surrounded by two ancient beasts.

Nobody knows for sure where its location was but these four places had struck the residents' ears the most. Ravenbourne had gotten the news about it and it spreads like wildfire. It would be no wonder if the sailors of Arkenheilm are after the same thing.

However, with the range getting bigger for Azvathan, the duke of the stormy seas, it would be harder for ships to sail to the Regimere. Some had said that it was probably the waves that were pushing the ship deep into the abyss and not the creature.

But after the remaining sailor had returned back to tell his side of the story, most sailors believe that the creature's tail was 19 meters large and hid under the dark waters. Of course, its other form was believed to be a half-human and half-demon, luring all those sailors to think it was a castaway. A mischievous act to trick the sailors to their death.

Though, Darius believed that some of it was false.

Aloysius on his side seems to be deep in thought, however. If that were to be true, then an offering must be prepared — just like how other sailors had been granted passage for Arkenheilm. He thought that maybe it wasn't a good time to act carelessly.

When Ophelia saw how silent the other two were, she already knew that they were probably doubting whether to continue or not. After all, it was a matter of life and death. Though, as soon as the two sighed, she just smiled and then spoke softly.

"If you were to seek refuge for the night, the inn would gladly help you," she had offered before nodding at her sister. "Welcome to Everfrost, travelers. I'll escort you to make sure that your stay is welcoming."