The coral streets stretched before them like veins of a living body, pulsing faintly with ocean light. As Luna and her companions stepped down from the crystal bridge, the silence shattered. The currents shifted violently, and from the shadows of the towers emerged Poseidon's chosen.
First came the royal guards—warriors clad in armor forged from shark bone and black pearl, their spears tipped with glowing tridents. Their faces were pale and scaled, their eyes a cold abyss.
But behind them came the true threat: the Sea Generals, four colossal figures, each embodying an aspect of the ocean's wrath.
Nereus, the Tidebringer: a hulking giant wielding a coral anchor as his weapon, strong enough to shatter mountains.
Ceto, the Deep Mother: her lower body a serpent of endless coils, her voice carrying whispers that dragged minds toward madness.
Thalasson, the Waveblade: armored in flowing water, moving faster than sight, his sword leaving streams of crushing pressure behind each swing.
Skiron, the Stormcaller: wreathed in lightning and whirlwinds, his trident sparking with the fury of tempests.
They surrounded the six, sealing every path. The current itself seemed to press against them, pushing them back, as though the sea itself favored its masters.
Kratos' eyes narrowed, his blades catching fire even under the waves. "Generals of Poseidon." His voice was a growl. "This will not be enough."
The battle erupted.
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Nereus swung his anchor, the impact cracking coral towers. Kratos met the blow head-on, the clash echoing like thunder through the water. Each strike threatened to break the seafloor itself, but Kratos' fury matched the giant's might.
Ceto slithered forward, her coils wrapping around Luna. For a moment, Luna's small body seemed lost in her grip—but then her gauntlets blazed. With a scream, she shattered Ceto's scales, punching through her coils until the serpent-woman reeled in pain.
Thalasson darted like a phantom, his blade slashing at Seraphina and Dorian. Dorian blocked, sparks flying underwater, but the force drove him back. Seraphina's arrows streaked through the currents, striking at his water-forged armor, slowing his movements bit by bit.
Adrian roared, intercepting Thalasson's next strike. His claymore clashed against the general's watery blade, shockwaves splitting the sea around them. The two locked in a deadly duel, each blow faster and heavier than the last.
Above, Skiron unleashed storms, lightning searing through the water. Achradina leapt and spun, her spear dancing with silver light, deflecting bolts as she struck upward. Sparks illuminated her face as she pushed through the tempest, driving her spear deep into Skiron's chest.
The six fought as one, but the generals were relentless. The sea seemed endless, their enemies without fatigue.
Until Luna, bloodied and bruised, raised her fists high. Her gauntlets glowed with a divine heat, brighter than the abyss. She slammed them into the seafloor, sending a shockwave through the currents. The force tore the generals off balance, ripping apart coral towers, breaking the formation.
"Now!" Luna shouted.
Kratos' blades carved through Nereus' chest. Seraphina's arrow pierced Thalasson's throat. Adrian split the Deep Mother's coils with his claymore, and Achradina's spear impaled the Stormcaller, lightning exploding as he fell.
The water grew still. The generals collapsed one by one, dissolving into foam and coral dust. The royal guards, seeing their masters slain, retreated into the depths.
The companions stood, battered but unbroken, the ruins of the battle drifting around them. Ahead, the obsidian palace loomed larger than ever, its golden trident gleaming with Poseidon's rage.
Dorian exhaled heavily, his sword dripping with divine ichor. "If his generals were this strong…"
Seraphina lowered her bow, eyes sharp. "Then Poseidon himself will be stronger still."
Luna clenched her fists, her voice quiet but steady. "Then we'll break him. For Elias. For Callista. For everyone who suffered under the gods."
The group moved forward, step by step, deeper into the heart of the sea god's throne.