Lassim and Marissa made their way back to the Sitnalta Services branch office. The midday sun was high in the middle of the sky over Sailor’s Rest, bathing the bustling port town in its rays that warmed up the duo after their adventure underwater. The streets were alive with activity, from merchants haggling over fresh catches to children pretending to fish off the docks like it was a game.
Upon entering the branch office, they were greeted by Myra, who was lounging behind the front desk. The siren’s pink fish tail and scales that adorned her face glimmered under the sunlight streaming through the windows.
"Back so soon?" Myra teased, her voice a melodic lilt. "Miss me already?"
Marissa rolled her eyes playfully. "We’re here for the transport, Myra…"
"Korro should be arriving shortly," she said, gesturing towards the window that overlooked the docks.
Lassim and Marissa walked over to the window, just in time to witness the arrival of a gargantuan behemoth of a shark surfacing from the depths. The creature was colossal, easily dwarfing the ships docked nearby.
Its massive dorsal fin cut through the water like a knife, and atop its back sat a formidable figure with an aura of confidence and control that seemed to communicate and steer the beast towards their direction..
"Ah, that’s him there." Myra said as she arrived next to them to also look out the window.
Korro had a uniquely handsome appearance and sense of fashion in Lassim’s eyes. His muscular frame was adorned with intricate tattoos, and his hair, resembling seaweed, flowed down to his shoulders. He wore a necklace made of giant shark teeth, and his eyes glowed with an intensity.
Korro also appeared to be almost entirely human except for a set of gills on his neck like a Sahagin and some scales reminiscent of Myra’s own across his face. They had a slight purplish hue. He also appeared to be a mid level Spirit Ascension cultivator, around level 6 by Lassim’s guess.
Lassim watched in awe as the shark surfaced fully, revealing several passengers securely harnessed onto its back. The harnesses were made of some kind of enchanted material that allowed them to stay attached despite the shark’s swift movements. The passengers, looking exhilarated, began to disembark as Korro guided the shark closer to the dock.
Myra smiled. "He’s one of the best shark riders in the region. He’ll be accompanying you to the outpost that you’ll be assisting. Hopefully the disturbance that was reported isn’t too serious."
Lassim nodded, still in awe of the massive shark. "That shark is so incredibly huge. I’ve never seen anything like it."
As the last passenger disembarked, Korro hopped down from the shark’s back with a graceful ease that belied his imposing stature. He strode over to the branch office where Lassim and Marissa and Myra went outside to greet him. Korro’s eyes appraised Lassim intently.
"Considering you’re standing next to Myra, you must be my passenger and helper for the mission," Korro said, extending a hand. His voice was deep and resonant. "I appreciate you lending your aid."
Lassim shook his hand, feeling the strength in Korro’s grip. "It’s a pleasure to meet you and no worries. I’m looking forward to the journey and helping out is the least I can do since the ride will be free."
Korro nodded. "We’ll be departing right away as the last alert I received was a level 4 alarm which means they don’t have enough fighters and are requesting everyone to come from all over the kingdom to assist. Not sure what it is, but we’ll have to be quick. I hope you’re ready for the ride of your life."
"Sure, just give me a moment and I’ll join you right away." Lassim said as he hurriedly pulled Marissa to the side away from Korro and Myra for a moment.
"Here, take this. Don’t open it until I leave, but just think of it as a gift for being so welcoming, showing me the underwater breathing, and even hooking me up with a free ride towards my sect. I really hope your breakthrough happens soon and that the next time we meet won’t be too far in the future. Also, take my contact rune.
Feel free to message me if you want." Lassim said as he passed her his old magic pouch, the one he had used briefly before receiving the whale-hide magic pouch from his grandparents upon his departure.
Inside was Lassim’s entire daily allowance of 30,000 high-grade ESS. An absolutely insane amount, but he hoped it’d be more than enough for Marissa to buy the enchanted boots she wanted and possibly some other equipment.
He also included some jerky from the Drow realm that he had in massive quantities still. He attached a note to the outside wax paper wrapping so that she’d know to only consume it in tiny bites due to the potency of it, but he knew it would speed up her breakthrough. It would probably even take her into the middle levels of Spirit Transformation by the time she finished it all.
He just wanted to lend a helping hand after hearing about her story and seeing how much she cared for her village. If she was stronger, then they’d all benefit as well.
Marissa was confused, but gave him a quick hug, "Thanks! Not sure what this is, but you’re always welcome back anytime. Here’s my rune as well and just send a message when you’re in the area. We can meet up and visit everyone for another feast!"
After exchanging runes, Lassim turned and felt a surge of excitement as he followed Korro back to the shark. He followed his lead and hopped right on top where the "saddle/blanket" with hardnesses were.
With a quick attachment, the harnesses were secure, and Korro gave him a few quick instructions on how to use them. Once Lassim was 100% certain he was fully strapped in, Korro took the lead position near the front of the mounted shark, giving a signal to the colossal creature after placing his hand on its tough skin.
The shark began to move forward quickly, its powerful body cutting through the water with ease but also hardly making any waves or kicking up any surf as it descended into the water. It was a hydrodynamic predator with a unique body tailored to hunting and speed with little disturbance in the surroundings.
The sensation of riding the giant beast was exhilarating. After they filled their lungs with mana to begin underwater breathing, the water began rushing past them as they picked up speed.
Lassim glanced back at Marissa in his spirit sense, who waved goodbye from the dock, a smile on her face as she watched the giant fin sink beneath the surface out of sight.
As they ventured further into the open sea, Lassim took in the breathtaking underwater landscape. The water was crystal clear, allowing him to see the vibrant coral reefs and schools of colorful fish that darted around them. The sunlight filtered through the surface, casting dappled patterns on the seabed below.
Korro glanced back at Lassim, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Enjoying the view?"
"It’s incredible," Lassim replied, his voice filled with wonder. "Every time I’ve been under the water I feel like I’ve entered an entirely different planet. It’s surreal how much life is down here and how otherworldly it all feels and looks."
Korro chuckled and said mysteriously, "Just wait until we reach deeper waters. The ocean holds many wonders."
Further away from the port city now, they began picking up even more speed. The shark itself was roughly a peak Spirit Ascension beast by spirit warrior standards. The journey continued, with Korro guiding the shark expertly through the water. They stayed only a kilometer or so deep for now as they were still near the coast.
Eventually they’d need to dive deep down and enter the coral tunnels, but for now they enjoyed the rays of light dappling downwards through the water.
Most of the other sea life swam fast and far away as quickly as possible in the presence of the apex predator that was the shark. However, occasionally, they encountered other sea creatures—majestic whales, playful dolphins, and even a group of mermaids who waved at them as they passed—that didn’t seem to mind the shark.
Lassim felt a deep sense of connection to the ocean, his bond with Marinelle growing stronger with each passing moment for some reason. She was really enjoying the underwater experience.
This continued deep into the night where Korro confirmed with Lassim that it was okay to take rests or even sleep as the harness would keep him secure and along for the ride. The shark itself needed to keep moving to stay alive mostly and only needed to sleep for a few hours once a month.
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They recently took a nap before their last trip so they had nearly a month to go before they needed to rest again.
Lassim took this confirmation as his chance to meditate through the night and see if he could also use it to increase his bond even further with Marinelle. Who knew if there were some more benefits other than increased water elemental proficiency if their bond grew stronger than it already was?