The flying beast sliced through the clouds like a missile, leaving behind trails of shimmering blue as they crossed over the horizon. The sunlight faded into a deep aquatic glow as the sky ahead turned darker—the sea swallowing it whole.

Moments later, the massive shadow of the Underwater City—Aqualis Rift—emerged beneath them. A sprawling fortress of light and glass, domes and tunnels stretching endlessly under the waves. Schools of glowing fish darted past, weaving between coral-coated towers, and massive serpentine sea beasts lurked in the deeper parts, their outlines faint under the shimmering surface.

The beast descended slowly, bubbles rising past them as the city's protective barrier opened. The moment they crossed it, their surroundings shifted from air to simulated water pressure—sound muffled, everything glowing in shades of blue and gold.

Jayden's eyes were wide open behind his visor. "Bro… this is insane."

Xavier grinned. "Welcome to Aqualis Rift, kid. This place eats noobs alive."

Oliver laughed, adjusting his gear. "Yeah, like you didn't die here three times last time."

"Shut up," Xavier said, nudging him with his elbow. "That was when I had my new build."

They stepped off the beast as it dissolved into digital particles, landing on a translucent platform that overlooked the entire city. NPC divers and armored sentinels swam past beneath them, carrying energy spears and luminescent crystals.

"Alright, Jayden," Xavier said, stretching his arms like a general before battle. "Where do you wanna start? The Abyss Ruins, the Coral Fields, or the Leviathan Arena?"

Jayden pointed at the glowing trench that dropped into darkness. "That. The Abyss Ruins."

Xavier chuckled. "Of course you'd pick the hardest one first." He turned toward Oliver with that cocky smirk. "Guess we're doing a warm-up raid then."

Oliver sighed, shaking his head. "With you, it's never just a warm-up."

Xavier grinned, stepping to the edge of the platform. "Damn right." He jumped—diving headfirst into the abyss below, his avatar streaking through the neon-blue depths as Oliver and Jayden followed, the ocean swallowing them whole.

They landed deep in the trench, the light from above fading until the only glow came from bioluminescent coral and the faint shimmer of their gear. The silence down there was eerie—no sound but distant whale-like echoes and the hum of underwater currents. Then, from between the coral pillars, a faint lantern glow approached.

A figure rode up in a sleek, armored underwater carriage pulled by two massive manta-like beasts, their fins trailing neon-blue trails through the dark. The rider stopped a few meters away, his armor scratched but regal, his eyes glowing faint gold under a worn diver's helmet.

He raised a hand in greeting. "Travelers of the Rift, you shouldn't be here without clearance."

Xavier floated closer, his voice confident through the comms. "We don't do clearance. We do results."

The man tilted his head slightly, studying him. "Heh. Another glory hunter." He opened his carriage hatch and gestured. "Fine. If you've come this far, then maybe fate sent you. I'm Daol Drayen, captain of the Abyssguard. There's a monster down here that's been tearing through our defenses. The Deepmaw Leviathan."

Oliver exchanged a look with Xavier. "That sounds like a raid boss."

"Yeah," Xavier muttered. "Sounds like fun."

Kael continued, voice low. "We've been trying to seal it in the ruins, but our forces keep vanishing. If you're insane enough to help, I'll take you there. And if we survive…" He gave a faint grin. "…the city will remember your names."

Jayden was practically vibrating. "Let's go! Let's go!"

Kael chuckled and motioned them in. The carriage's hatch slid open with a hiss, revealing a cabin lined with glowing panels and weapon racks. The seats adjusted automatically as they entered, the air stabilizing with a faint hum.

As the carriage began to move, cutting through the depths with smooth speed, glowing jellyfish floated past like ghosts. The deeper they went, the darker it became—until the light of the city above was nothing but a distant memory.

Kael spoke again, voice calm but heavy. "The Leviathan sleeps inside the old cathedral… but it won't stay asleep for long. Keep your weapons ready."

Xavier smirked, leaning back in his seat. "Good. I was starting to get bored."

The carriage shot forward into the abyss, a streak of light cutting through the endless dark as something massive stirred below—shadows moving beneath the ruins ahead.

The carriage slowed as it neared a ridge of shattered spires jutting out of the seabed like broken fangs. Beyond them lay the beast's lair — a massive trench split open in the ruins of what once seemed to be an underwater cathedral. The walls were cracked and draped with seaweed, the entrance glowing faint red from deep within, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Daol Drayen stood at the front of the carriage as it halted, his cloak drifting with the current. "This is it. The resting place of the Deepmaw Leviathan," he said, his voice echoing through the comms. "Once, this was a temple to the Celestials. Now it's a graveyard for every fool who's dared to challenge the monster below."

He turned to face the group. "Stay close. Don't stray, and whatever you do—don't follow the lights. The deep will trick you if you look too long."

The hatch opened, and all four of them swam out, bubbles trailing behind as they adjusted their oxygen flow. The ocean pressure was heavy here, almost crushing, the kind that made your ears ring and head spin.

They followed Daol down through the jagged ruins, passing statues of drowned saints and crumbled pillars etched with faint runes. Broken relics floated by — shattered armor, torn banners, weapons buried halfway in coral. The only sound was the dull hum of their gear and the distant groaning of the sea.

Xavier drifted closer to Oliver, lowering his voice. "Hey. Can't we just ditch him? We'd reach the boss faster without a slow-ass escort."

Oliver glanced at Daol, who was scanning the area ahead with his spear drawn. "No can do. It's one of those 'protect the NPC' type quests. If he dies, we fail the mission."

Xavier muttered under his breath, "Of course it is." He sighed, adjusting his gauntlets. "Escort quests. The bane of my existence."

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