Safe Departure
The cursed vessel, bruised from battle yet somehow still afloat, drifted silently toward the harbor. On board, the atmosphere was a cocktail of relief and lingering dread. Rayan sat at the ship's edge, his mind replaying that eerie, disembodied voice.
"Did you all hear it?" Rayan murmured, almost to himself.
Tonio's calm gaze betrayed a flicker of unease. "There was a whisper… something beyond the Leviathan."
Cezar leaned against the railing with his usual smirk. "Yeah, like the ocean itself was laughing at us. Makes you wonder if we're just bait for a bigger mess."
Yeon, half-draped on a barrel and still recovering from his earlier antics, snapped back, "Bait? Nah—I'm the main event!" Even his bravado had a hint of uncertainty as he scanned the dark horizon.
Before they could discuss any further, the dilapidated vessel docked. The captain, a one-legged guy with a mop leg who never lost his sardonic tone, hollered, "No refunds!" and the crew disembarked with awkward relief.
Return to Arcania Academy
Under the cloak of early morning, the four crept through a shadowed side gate of Arcania Academy. Their hearts still thundered as memories of the sea and that haunting whisper mingled with excitement. But their stealth was quickly disrupted.
Within moments, they found themselves surrounded by a cadre of Academy officials. At the forefront stood Headmaster Elira Vance—the enigmatic, arcane visionary—whose gaze cut through the group like a scythe.
"Unauthorized departures, an SS-Rank quest, and now harboring inexplicable voices?" Headmaster Vance's tone was measured, but every word dripped with disappointment. "Explain yourselves."
Yeon, ever quick on his feet, flashed a sheepish grin and blurted, "Well, if you must know, we went on an epic quest, clashed with a leviathan, and—uh—got a bit wet. But we survived. Mostly."
Tonio added quietly, "There was a voice—like a warning. Something ancient and… unsettling."
Rayan, still dripping from the watery ordeal, mumbled, "We learned something… that we're not the only ones stirring up trouble."
Cezar, attempting to lighten the tension, remarked, "At least we didn't lose a limb. I'm not sure I want to barter for extra limbs this semester."
The officials exchanged glances. Headmaster Vance, though clearly perturbed, let out a deep sigh. "Your actions have consequences—both for you and for the Academy. You will remain on campus until further notice, and you are to submit a full report by tomorrow morning."
Aftermath in the Dorms
Later that evening in their cramped dorm room, the four gathered to process their day—each voice a mix of tension and reluctant humor.
Rayan stared at the ceiling, his voice low and serious. "I can still hear that voice... it promised something is coming."
Cezar rubbed his temples and said, "I keep thinking that was more than just the wind—sounds like destiny's been on a coffee binge."
Tonio flipped through an old, dusty tome borrowed from the library. "There's a legend of an ancient entity sealed beneath the sea—called 'the Sleeper.' They say it awakens only when its time has come."
Yeon, however, couldn't resist injecting some absurdity. "Legends, destiny, blah, blah—if the Sleeper wakes up and starts charging rent, I better be in charge of negotiations. Imagine me as the landlord of doom!" He snorted, but even he couldn't hide the hint of worry behind his theatrical grin.
Rayan rolled his eyes, trying to merge his frustration with a trace of humor. "Great. We survive a monster hunt, get lectured by Headmaster Vance, and now our dorm room feels like a haunted open-mic night."
Just then, an unexpected gust of wind swept through the window. The paperclip on Rayan's desk clattered as a faint, chilling whisper echoed:
"One down. The rest will follow..."
They all froze. Even Yeon's usual snark died down in a heavy moment of silence.
After what felt like an eternity, Cezar broke it with a wry laugh: "Well, at least the ghost didn't ask for autographs."
Tonio shook his head with a soft smile, the seriousness of the warning tempered by the absurdity of their plight.
Rayan's hand tightened on his katana's hilt. "We thought today was our worst. But if that voice means we're only at the beginning… then we better be ready."
Headmaster Vance's earlier scolding, the eerie wind, and the mysterious message all blended into one unsettling reminder: their reckless adventure was only part of something much larger.
As the dorm room settled back into a charged, quiet atmosphere, the four realized that while they were grounded by punishment, the real battle was just on the horizon.
To Be Continued…