After Zayn passed the Sky Trial, the wind around the temple grew calmer, as if the heavens were respecting him now.
Selene, the guardian of the Sky Temple, looked at him with deep admiration.
"You have proven yourself worthy," she said, bowing slightly. "Now the path to the second seal will open."
Zayn nodded. "Where is it?"
Selene waved her hand, and a star map appeared in the air. One part of the map glowed red.
"That," she said seriously, "is the Forbidden Sea."
Elaine stepped forward. "Why is it called forbidden?"
Selene looked at her with a grave expression. "Because no one who enters comes back. The sea eats magic, confuses time, and hides monsters from other realms."
Aqua grinned. "Sounds fun."
Zayn smiled too. "Then that's where we go next."
A few days later…
Zayn, Elaine, Aqua, and Astra stood on the edge of a cliff. Below them, a vast ocean stretched to the horizon.
But this ocean was strange.
Its water was black.The sky above it had three moons.And there was no sound—no waves, no birds, nothing.
"This is the Forbidden Sea?" Elaine whispered.
Zayn nodded. "Stay close to me. Don't get separated."
He raised his hand, and a large golden boat appeared in the air, glowing with runes and star symbols.
"Let's go," he said.
The group climbed aboard, and the boat slowly floated out over the strange sea.
Hours passed.
Nothing happened. No wind. No motion.
Then… a whisper.
A cold voice spoke.
"You shouldn't be here…"
A huge shadow rose from the water.It was a serpent, but not just any serpent—it had ten heads, each one glowing with a different element.
"Outer-dimensional creature," Astra said calmly. "It's not from this world."
Elaine drew her sword. Aqua summoned her ice chains.
Zayn simply stood up and walked to the front of the boat.
The ten-headed serpent roared.
Zayn raised one hand.
A giant star spear formed above him, made of time, space, and pure divine energy.
He whispered, "Fall."
BOOOOM!
The spear struck the sea monster before it could even attack.
The sky shook. The sea cracked open.The serpent turned into dust and vanished.
Elaine's eyes were wide. "That was…"
"Overkill," Aqua said with a grin.
Zayn looked ahead.A dark island was slowly rising from the ocean, as if answering his presence.
The second trial had begun.