Chapter 40

Sophia's chest tightened. "If I am, then we need to use that to our advantage. I won't let fear stop us."

Tharros put a hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding. "You won't face this alone."

Before Sophia could reply, an alarm echoed through the palace. Guards rushed into the room, their faces panicked.

"Your Majesty, the Leviathan's forces are moving. They've broken one of the outer barriers."

The room erupted into chaos, but Tharros' words cut through like a blade. "Prepare the defenses. We move now."

As the group hurried to the city's outskirts, Sophia couldn't shake the feeling that the Leviathan's moves were deliberate, as if it knew their plans. The seers' forecast echoed in her mind, each word a puzzle piece she couldn't yet fit together.

When they arrived at the breached barrier, the sight that greeted them was worse than Sophia had thought. The onceglowing runes were dark, the energy that protected the city now a faint flicker. Twisted creatures rushed through the opening, their corrupted forms a mockery of Aquaria's natural beauty.

"Hold the line!" Kael shouted, diving into the fight. His spear flashed as he struck, each action precise and deadly.

Arin stood beside Sophia, her hands sparkling with dark magic. "Stay close," she warned, her voice steady despite the chaos.

Sophia triggered her scanner, the device whirring as it analyzed the barrier's remnants. "It's not completely gone," she said, her voice tight. "If I can amplify the energy"

"Then do it," Tharros said, his dragon form glowing as he prepared to attack. "We'll buy you time."

The battle raged around her as Sophia worked, her fingers flying over the scanner's settings. The Leviathan's forces pressed closer, but Kael and Arin held their ground, their united strength a formidable defense.

"Almost there," Sophia whispered, her heart racing.

A sudden roar split the air, and the Leviathan's shadow loomed over the battlefield. Sophia froze, the scanner slipping from her hands as the creature's presence washed over her. It was overwhelming, a force of pure evil that seemed to drain the very light from the water.

"Sophia, focus!" Tharros shouted, his voice snapping her out of her dream.

She grabbed the scanner, her purpose hardening. With a final adjustment, she triggered the device, a surge of energy rippling through the barrier. The runes flared to life, the gap closing as the Leviathan's creatures were forced back.

The group stood in quiet as the battlefield cleared, the Leviathan retreating into the depths. But its roar remained, a chilling promise of what was to come.

"This isn't over," Sophia said, her voice trembling but determined.

Tharros put a hand on her back, his expression grave. "No. It's just beginning."

Discord Among Allies

The palace's air was thick with anxiety. The Leviathan's departure had bought them time, but no one believed it would last. As Sophia paced the war room, she couldn't shake the thought that the seers' prophecy had set something in motion, something far beyond their control.

"You need rest," Kael's voice broke through her thinking. He stood near the doorway, arms crossed but his expression softer than normal. "You've been running yourself into the ground."

Sophia shook her head. "Rest won't stop the Leviathan. I need to figure out what the promise means."

Kael sighed, stepping closer. "You're carrying too much of this on your own. We're a team."

Before Sophia could answer, Arin entered the room, her presence like a cold wind cutting through the warmth Kael had brought. Her face was guarded, her dark eyes flicking between them.

"We have a problem," Arin said, her voice sharp.

Kael straightened, his face hardening. "What kind of problem?"

"My past," Arin answered, her tone laced with bitterness. "My former coven has decided now is the perfect time to question my loyalty."

Sophia frowned. "Why? What do they want?"

Arin's jaw stiffened. "To remind everyone that I was once an outcast. They're using this situation to sow doubt about me and, by extension, all of us."

Kael's grip on his spear tightened. "Typical. They'd rather tear us apart than face the real enemy."

Sophia's heart sank. The Leviathan lived on discord, and this internal strife was exactly what it needed. "We can't let them divide us," she said strongly. "We have to address this headon."

Arin's eyes softened slightly as she looked at Sophia. "You don't know what you're walking into. They won't listen to reason."

"They'll listen to me," Tharros' deep voice echoed as he entered the room. His golden eyes blazed with determination. "No one undermines my council while I'm king."

The meeting with Arin's old coven was held in the Hall of Tides, a grand chamber filled with flowing streams of enchanted water. The coven's leader, Lysara, stood at the middle, her regal posture a stark contrast to the venom in her words.

"Arin has always walked a fine line between loyalty and betrayal," Lysara said, her voice carrying through the hall. "How can we trust her to defend Aquaria when her own past is riddled with deceit?"

Arin's hands clenched at her sides, but she didn't rise to the trap. Sophia, however, couldn't stay silent.

"Arin has proven her loyalty time and time again," Sophia said, stepping forward. Her voice was steady, but her heart pounded in her chest. "She's risked her life to protect this city and everyone in it. Can any of you say the same?"

Lysara's eyes narrowed. "And who are you to speak of loyalty? A surface person who's barely been here long enough to understand our ways?"

Tharros' presence loomed behind Sophia, his voice cutting through the building tension. "Sophia speaks with my authority. If you question her, you question me."

The room fell quiet, the weight of Tharros' words pressing down on everyone present. Lysara's composure wavered, but she quickly recovered.

"Even so, we cannot ignore the risks. The Leviathan's corruption spreads, and question weakens us. Can you promise that Arin's magic won't turn against us?"

Arin stepped forward, her words cold but steady. "My magic is the only reason some of you are still alive. If that's not enough for you, then perhaps you should ask yourselves who the real threat is."

The tension in the room was evident. Sophia could feel the undercurrents of fear and doubt, but she also saw something else: the faintest flicker of understanding. She seized the moment.

"The Leviathan feeds on division," Sophia said, her voice rising with determination. "If we keep fighting each other, we're doing its work for it. We have to stand together, or we'll fall apart."

For a moment, the hall was silent. Then, slowly, some of the group members nodded. Lysara looked unconvinced but said nothing more.

After the meeting, the group met in Tharros' private chambers. The mood was tense but quieter, the worst of the storm seemingly passed.

"You handled that well," Tharros said, his eyes fixed on Sophia. "But this isn't over. Lysara won't back down easily."

Sophia nodded, her mind still rushing. "We have to keep the focus on the Leviathan. If we let these divides fester, we're doomed."