The ocean current held its breath.
Kyle stood at the edge of the submerged limestone shelf, the dark violet light of the gauntlet pulsing steadily along his forearm. Above them, the flagship's heavy iron hull groaned under the strain of its damaged propulsion arrays. Casting a long, shadow over the trench.
Beside him, Yua's claws remained unsheathed, her crimson eyes locked onto the bridge railings of the surface vessel, ready to leap the moment he gave the signal. Elara hovered to his left, her twin daggers poised, her breathing measured and calm despite the heavy residual tension in the water.
"We take out the main rudder first," Yua whispered, her voice low and sharp against the quiet hum of the deep water. "If we sever their steering chains, they'll drift right into the lower reef."
Kyle didn't answer immediately. He raised his right hand, intending to form the dark shadow tendrils needed to anchor the flagship's hull to the seabed.
