The Horizon's Call crept into a place where the familiar blue of the open sea surrendered to a blanket of darkness—a mystery expanse the crew dubbed the Unyielding Veil. The very water seemed to absorb the light, turning the ocean into a limitless tapestry of dark colors marked only by the strange flicker of bioluminescence. Every creak of wood and every wind whisper seemed loaded with old secrets as the ship slowly drifted into this mysterious realm, as though the deep had now chosen to disclose what it had long kept concealed.
At the bow, Seraphine stared toward the inky horizon where the Veil met the dim brightness of a concealed moon. Her face was one of calm resolve, sculpted by the countless fights and hardships that had formed her. Raging storms, solemn pledges, and remnants of lost pasts all concentrated within her like a strong current. "Here is where we have to confront the reality of the deep," she said softly, her voice low and determined over the lapping waves.
