Claiming Lucian (Let there be darkness) Yaoi Book 3

Chapter 18: Oya

 There were times when I wondered why fate had bestowed me with so much luck. It was unfair for the rest of the world to experience misfortune while I, the Master of Directions and the new hailed leader of the Scums, lived in solitude—far from kidnappers, homicidal Gods, and tumultuous men.

Without hesitating nor minding how deep the water could be, I dove into the sea. My eyes stung from the saltwater that I had to squeeze my eyes shut. I pried one eyelid up, seeing how far the fish had swam with Ciel. I looked up, finding Yertle's legs rowing. There were slumbering shrimps huddled together underneath his body. I flailed my arms forward and waved my legs criss cross yet I remained in place, slowly floating up.

Wait...

'Nephew...Do you know how to swim?'

'I believe that does not come with my instruction manual, uncle.'

'Nephew!'

Another form dove into the ocean, Elik grabbed me and swam as fast as he could while carrying me in pursuit of Ciel. My lungs felt like they would burst anytime soon if I didn't get air. Elik's eyes nearly popped out from their sockets as he looked past me. I turned to the direction where he was focused. There was a giant flabby creature, a quarter the size of Yertle, with flippers as hands and feet swimming by us. It had white ring-like patterns on its black form. Its two glowing blue whiskers flowed like tentacles. It had the face of a bear. A golden chain hung on its neck.

I reached for it despite Elik's fear. The tips of my fingers glowed. The beast swam under us. Its whiskers connected to each other as reins and waited for us to grab hold on to it before it sped through the salty waters. Our instinct to breathe got the best of us but instead of breathing water, air inflated our lungs. Elik and I stared at each other.

"Are you okay?"

The halfling nodded. "Yes...This is amazing." He looked at the reins and became even more worried. "If riding this seal gave us the capability to breathe and talk underwater, this seal must belong to distinguished merfolks. I don't think the owner would be happy if they found out that we rode this."

"They won't find out. We are keeping this seal."

Elik scowled. "Prince, stealing is wrong."

"You have mistaken my intentions. I meant to borrow this flabby creature forever. They can have it back once I'm dead."

"Prince!" Elik scolded.

'Elik shouldn't have come to your rescue, nephew. He is too righteous to be paired up with your passion for insanity.'

'I feel sorry for the guy,' Cirrus mumbled.

'You worry too much. Ever since I left Cludea, I have made contact with peace-loving individuals.'

'Are you hearing yourself, nephew?'

'I think he's broken...' Yako whispered.

We have lost track where the humanoid fish went with Ciel. I could not determine if the seal managed to take us to the right place but we surfaced in front of an island with bones staked to the ground resembling a giant's rib cage reaching for the skies. The seal took us near the shore. Elik tugged my sleeve, pointing at the giant ships right by the established port. The ship's sails were painted with the image the same as Kumo's tattoo, except the octopus was black.

"We got here much earlier than planned," I said.

"Should we wait for them?"

"No, I need to find Ciel. Waiting only decreases my chance of finding him sooner."

"But...Prince, These pirates are dangerous."

The seal bounced back to the sea, looking back for a moment to flap its flippers as if waving goodbye.