While heading back to the mainland, a sudden splash to their left caught Dahlia and Yuki's attention when the boat rocked side to side. The water boiled, bubbles rising as a long, pale shape broke the surface, gliding just beneath them. Its body was too smooth, too fast, like a shadow made real.
Dahlia cast an Aether Blast into the monster, hitting only water, but its presence vibrated through the craft after escaping. ''We need to reach the next island,'' she stated. ''If we can make it before nightfall.''
The older woman didn't finish; words were useless against the monster lingering in the shadows, prompting her to cast more magic into it whenever the thing popped up, trying to attack the vessel. Seconds later, Yuki's tail flicked, big blue eyes fixed on something. ''There,'' she pointed out an island on the horizon.
