Siren's Kiss

77: The Serpent's Lair

"Lexios... is among the primordial beings of creation, a great one," Zahir began, his voice grave as he looked at each of them in turn. "Though he is a twin of Nerevarus, he is far more powerful than his brother." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. "Like the Phoenix God and the Dragon God, his true form is that of a Leviathan. And while Nerevarus created a world entirely of water, it is the Leviathan who holds true dominion over the ocean's inhabitants. Lexios, as a Leviathan, has the ability to transform any being in this world into something connected to the evolutionary line of creatures from the ocean's depths. Mark my words—he will infiltrate every corner of this world until there is not a single trace of terrans left."

Hawk's eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp and defiant. "In that case... how do we defeat him?"

Zahir held his gaze, the sorrow in his eyes undeniable. "As I said earlier, our survival depends on Captain Drake and Prince Ciel's success. If, and that's a big if, they can destroy the god and sever his connection to our world, then both the land and the sea can heal."

A heavy silence followed, the implications of Zahir's words settling like a storm cloud over them all. The fate of both worlds rested on the shoulders of two individuals—Drake and Ciel. Yet the uncertainty was palpable. Would they succeed? Could they truly sever the grip of an immortal god who wielded such power over the seas? The weight of that question pressed heavily on everyone in the room.

"However..." Zahir continued, his voice dark with the weight of what he was about to say. They all turned toward him, anticipation hanging in the air. "If we could destroy the one he has a connection with on land, it might stop the plague from spreading. It won't be enough to heal everyone or put things back to how they were, but it could buy Captain Drake and Prince Ciel the time they need to fulfill their duties."

Rowan clenched his fists, his tone sharp and resolute. "It's him. It's Lucius!"

Hawk's gaze flickered to his father, sensing the tension between them. Purity watched him closely, her expression hardening. Hawk had never hidden his frustration with the Djinns' refusal to help, and he was right to feel that way. The Djinns had kept their knowledge of the immortals close to their chest, holding onto it for too long while the rest of them fought blindly.

The Djinns, it seemed, had long abandoned hope for the world, seeing it as just another playground for the immortals to manipulate and destroy. Hawk couldn't shake the resentment he felt every time his father spoke of their shared goal—the goal of waiting for the world to end. That hopelessness had never sat right with him.

Rowan didn't wait for any further discussion. He turned toward the door, determination in his stride. "We can't stand here talking about the past and these immortals. We won't get anywhere if we don't act now. I don't know how Drake or Ciel will fare against an immortal, but I'm sure they'll do everything they can to survive."

As he passed a statue of a templar soldier, Rowan unsheathed the silver cutlass it held. "Grab anything you can use as a weapon. I know a path leading to the weaponry—more weapons and armor there. But don't expect the route to be safe. Those creatures we encountered were just a taste of what's ahead."

Hawk nodded. For once, he did not argue with the commander. He wasn't about to let his father's unwillingness to act hold them back any longer. "Then let's move."

Purity's eyes met Rowan's as she gave a small nod. "Lead the way."

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Finding Ciel's room had been easy, but his mother's vault was another story entirely. Queen Nerissa had a personal parlor, a room she kept solely for herself, separate from King Cyraeni and even her children, Ciel and Coraline. The parlor had a large window overlooking her beloved stingray pets, and beyond it lay hidden chambers, carefully concealed beneath layers of siren magic.