119 Neptune's Insignia.



'Just make sure I don't feel your... uh, private parts rubbing against my back, or else I'll throw you off,' I warned Blaze, taking a step back as he spread his wings.

"!" With a powerful flap of his wings, we ascended into the air.

Despite the tritonic surges and the storm blocking our path, I had a plan. Just as when we first arrived on this island, I would swim as deep as possible to avoid the torrential currents. This time, I would have Blaze fly as high as he could, reaching the horizon where the storm's effects on the sky would be minimal. However, as we battled against the relentless winds and increasingly intense lightning, I couldn't help but doubt our ability to reach that safe haven.

'Ahgh... Fuck this storm,' Blaze cursed through our mental connection, clearly struggling against the powerful gusts.

The wind howled with a ferocity that surpassed anything we had encountered before, and the lightning strikes became more frequent and dangerous. It was becoming increasingly difficult for us to maintain our vertical ascent.

'Do you think we can reach up there?' I held on tightly to Blaze's fur, my voice barely audible over the raging storm.

'I... I will try,' Blaze responded, determination lacing his words.

With another powerful thrust of his wings, Blaze pushed us higher, making it a challenge for me to maintain my balance on his back. His incredible speed, which I had witnessed when he activated the Eldertree Pillar in the Gorthan chamber, has now become our greatest asset in our quest to escape this place.

*Rumble.*

'Whoa!' Blaze swiftly adjusted his weight, narrowly avoiding a lightning bolt that passed dangerously close to us. The sheer power of the strike was enough to send us hurtling back into the ocean if it had made contact.

...

As we battled against the relentless storm, the winds howled with an ear-splitting fury, threatening to tear us apart. The lightning crackled and danced through the darkened skies, illuminating the turbulent clouds in a haunting display of nature's wrath. The rain lashed against us, stinging our skin and obscuring our vision. But we pressed on, determined to reach the safety above the stormy clouds.

Blaze strained his powerful wings, each beat propelling us higher, closer to our goal. The air grew thinner, making it harder to breathe, but I held on tightly, refusing to let go. 

*Crackle*

The thunder roared in our ears, a deafening symphony that echoed through our very beings. The pressure intensified, squeezing my chest with an almost suffocating force.

With every passing moment, the storm raged fiercely. Lightning bolts struck perilously close, forcing Blaze to twist and turn, evading their lethal embrace. The wind buffeted us from all directions, threatening to throw us off balance. The world became a blur of fury and chaos, a maelstrom of elements bent on our destruction.

But through it all, we pushed forward, driven by an unyielding determination. 

"Just a little more....Smokeball."Our bodies drenched, our muscles aching, we fought against the tempest that sought to consume us. The clouds swirled ominously, their dark tendrils reaching out to ensnare us, but we dodged and weaved, navigating through the treacherous labyrinth of the storm.

"There!!"And then, it happened. The moment we had been striving for. Above the churning mass of clouds, a sliver of clear sky emerged, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. Blaze soared higher, his wings slicing through the tempest, until finally, we broke free.

*Flap*

"!!!"A surreal calm washed over us as we emerged above the stormy clouds. The violent winds gave way to a gentle breeze, and the deafening thunder was replaced by a peaceful silence. The dark clouds roiled beneath us, their fury contained below. 

The sky was painted in hues of gold and pink, reflecting the setting suns in a mesmerizing display. Two suns bathed the world in a warm, ethereal glow, casting a surreal radiance that illuminated our path.

The sight was breathtaking, a serene beauty that defied the turmoil we had just escaped.

I exhaled a long breath, relief flooding my weary body. We had made it. We had conquered the storm. 

Blaze steady his position as I fell on his large back catching my breath.

A triumphant smile crossed my lips as I gazed at the vast expanse of clear sky before us. It was a moment of victory, a testament to our resilience and unwavering spirit-

'Hey-hey..... look straight ahead and then up,' Blaze said out of nowhere. Was he telling me to look at the sunset? Well, after so many months, even such small things can be spectacular. But my attention was abruptly diverted.

Flinch*

"Why can't we go home without all this drama?" I questioned, frustration seeping into my voice.

As I gazed ahead, I saw it—a floating platform suspended in the sky, as if it had been waiting for my arrival. It hovered majestically, its rocky bottom visible from our vantage point below.

"Do you know what it is?" I asked Blaze, hoping for some insight. He shook his head, his feline eyes filled with curiosity.

The platform emanated a soft violet glow, and a beam of light extended from its bottom tip, connecting with the swirling storm clouds.

"So this thing is the cause of the tritonic surges, huh?" I sighed, contemplating the immense power it possessed. Though I didn't fully understand its workings, it was clear that this entity was responsible for the calamity that plagued the region.

'Wanna go there?' Blaze asked, his exhaustion evident. But I couldn't let this opportunity pass.

Resting my right shoulder on Blaze's back, I extended my left palm behind me, gathering raw mana from the atmosphere. With my right palm, I channeled the energy into his core.

'Let's go,' I declared. I couldn't rest until I investigated this enigma, especially after the frustrations of the dungeon city.

The air grew calmer, and the turbulent clouds faded into the distance. As we approached the floating platform, its violet glow intensified. It radiated an otherworldly energy, beckoning us closer. With a sense of anticipation, 

*Tud*Flap*

We landed upon the platform's surface, and I couldn't help but marvel at the scene before me. The platform itself was not very large, measuring about twenty by twenty feet. Its cobblestone tile floor was immaculate, exuding a sense of neatness and tidiness.

A magnificent tree stood in the center of the platform, it leaves a mesmerizing shade of blue. As the sun set, the gentle breeze caused the leaves to sway, creating a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere.

And there, in the midst of it all, was a spherical stone. 'It's an insignia,' Blaze muttered, his voice filled with awe. The stone was polished to perfection, roughly the size of a football, and adorned with a mesmerizing wave pattern. It was placed atop a rock, as if meant to be showcased.

I couldn't help but feel a little surge of joy. Finally, my knowledge of this world has found a purpose. The insignia, a symbol of the gods, surely belonged to one of the nine deities. However, I knew it wasn't Ellora's, as her insignia had been revealed in the game.

In this ever-changing world, where reality often differed from my imagination, it was a rare moment of satisfaction to have my understanding validated.

'It's a Neptune Insignia,' Blaze confirmed, his eyes fixed on the sphere as he transformed into his cat form.

"Well, that's obvious," I replied with a hint of amusement. The wave pattern, the insignia itself, and the association with the sea all pointed to Neptune.

"So Neptune placed this here to hide Crooked Island," I pondered aloud, my fingers itching to touch the sphere. But before I could make contact, Blaze let out a vocal hiss, warning me.

'He'll know we're here!' Blaze exclaimed, his feline instincts on high alert. I chuckled, knowing I had teased him a bit too much.

"The only significant thing on Crooked Island is the Nightshade Sanctum," I stated confidently. There couldn't be anything else of importance there, apart from the ancient ruins and Crystal Veil Cave, of course.

"But then, the Tritonic Surges weren't present when you were last here, right, Blaze?" I inquired, and he nodded in agreement.

The fact that people in this world were oblivious to the existence of Crooked Island indicated that something had transpired over the past thousand years. Neptune had concealed the island from the mortal realm, but it seemed he hadn't hidden it from the other gods.

"It's safe to assume that all the gods were in agreement when this place was sealed," I mused, considering the involvement of the divine council in such matters.

Blaze seemed uncertain as he asked, 'Yeah... what are you trying to say?' I gently lifted him and placed him on my shoulder.

"The Nightshade Sanctum is even more sinister than we imagined," I explained, relieved that we had escaped its clutches. There was something inside that the gods had wanted sealed away, but their control over the mortal world seemed limited.

"Do you want to go back and find out what's inside?" Blaze asked with an amused tone.

*Growl*

But my empty stomach interrupted, reminding me of my hunger. "Nah, I'm hungry. I wonder what I should eat," I replied. For now, I had no interest in getting entangled in the affairs of gods or heroes. All I cared about was my own safety and well-being.

Hopping on Blaze's back after he transformed into his Winged Pardus form, we left the platform behind and ascended into the sky. As we soared through the air, I channeled mana into him to sustain our flight. We engaged in light conversation along the way, enjoying the freedom and exhilaration of flying above the world below.

A few more moments till we get back.

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[A/N: "..."]