In the morning, a fishing boat was spotted by Leofwynn, the vessel appeared close to wrecking, entirely black and covered in lichen. Cwenburg was still asleep, and it was only after noon that Æthelflæd's absence was noticed.
THE DREAD LEVIATHAN
— They cannot have gone far! — Leofwynn and Cwenburg, both mounted on the serpentarium, flew swiftly above the waves, and then above the deep blue sea, heading toward that boat spotted in the morning.
— Do you think the old man kidnapped her, Leofwynn?
— At best, Cwenburg. At worst, our alchemist kidnapped the old man.
The old man had a long white beard and a gigantic belly. He was so fat he had difficulty walking, so he was dragged across the rain-slicked deck after letting go of the rudder, surrendering to the will of the waters.
Like a pendulum, the old man was spotted by the two flying on the serpentarium.
— Did you come too? — the old man had a pipe between his rotten teeth and was smoking as he slid from side to side.
— Where is Æthelflæd?
— I'm here! — Æthelflæd shouted from inside the boat, from a place below the main staircase.
— Can you move? — Leofwynn gripped her sword and descended.
The sky was darkening, the storm would not be long. And the waves were intensifying.
— No. — Æthelflæd admitted she couldn't move.
— You wretched old man, what did you do to her? Æthelflæd, are you hurt? Are you tied up?
— No! — the alchemist's voice sounded closer as the volcanian descended the staircase.
— Then why don't you come up to the surface…
It would have been a question, had the sight of Æthelflæd not answered it for itself. There was the human, surrounded by rum bottles that rolled with the ship's tilting.
The loli was completely drunk, too weak to stand, but justifying herself:
— I decided to follow the old man's dream! I'm going to find the mermaid's breasts! Even if it's the last thing I do! I swear! Heaven and earth are witnesses to my words!
— Calm down, Æthelflæd, drink some water…
— Let me go, Leofwynn! This is my life now. This is who I truly am! — while thrashing about in a pitiful manner, the human was carried up the stairs on the volcanian's shoulders. — You can't do this to me! Let me go! Cwenburg! — the unicorn girl's name reverberated sharply. — Cwenburg!
Meanwhile, Cwenburg was helping the old man to his feet. With both hands on the rudder, he steered into the waves. The boat was nearly vertical, and the unicorn girl held onto his broad back.
— Leofwynn, what's happening?
— A certain someone here… — Æthelflæd was glared at. — Is having a self-discovery meltdown. — Æthelflæd was still being carried when the volcanian lost her balance, and the new wave was cut through. — Call Godwyna. Let's head back to dry land by flying.
The serpentary was called and carried the three of them, despite Æthelflæd's incessant protests.
From above, they saw the boat, with the old man once again fallen, smoking, dragging his back across the deck from prow to stern.
— He'll be fine. — Leofwynn assured, just wanting to be done with the situation, and earned disapproving looks from the other two.
However, the first dolphin arrived, entirely pink, and struck the old man. A blow that sent the man crashing against the rotten wood protecting the staircase.
Then came more dolphins, some passed over the boat, others struck the hull and the cabin.
The serpentary struggled to dodge the dolphins that shot up to the clouds before plummeting back into the waters.
More and more dolphins, dozens, hundreds, thousands, and when the three fell into the waters along with the serpentary, they saw, submerged, whirlpools of pink dolphins, billions of them, expanding beneath the surface as far as the eye could see.
At the center was him, the Leviathan, a sea serpent, and his subordinate, the Kraken. Both were heading toward the fishing boat. Both of the giant lineage, one hundred and sixty miles tall.
The battle was about to begin.