Chapter 113

The port city of Pearlwater lies at the edge of an immense,

endless desert, where the scorching sands meet the deep blue of the sea. Its

towering, whitewashed walls are built to withstand both the harsh desert winds

and the occasional storm surge from the sea. The air is thick with the scent of

saltwater and spices, carried by the breeze from both the ocean and the desert.

The city Is a blend of two worlds: the bustling market

streets are filled with traders from distant lands, selling everything from

shimmering silks to exotic fruits, while the harbor hums with the activity of

ships unloading goods from across the sea. Tall, slender towers rise from the

city's center, built in a unique architectural style, with towers and domes

that glisten under the sun, reflecting the light off the desert's golden dunes.

The city's harbor is a lifeline, with large, sturdy ships

braving the waves to bring in precious supplies like freshwater, grain, and

luxuries from islands dotted along the coasts. Along the docks, crates of

shimmering spices, rare minerals, and textiles are stacked high. At the same

time, caravans of beasts and traders arrive from the desert, bringing rich

metals, rare gemstones, and desert herbs that are highly sought after.

The city's streets wind through various districts—colorful

bazaars, quiet residential areas with small gardens protected by high walls,

and a massive marketplace where merchants loudly haggle over prices. At the

heart of Pearlwater lies the grand Oasis Temple, a majestic structure with

cascading water fountains that offer a cool respite from the sweltering heat

outside. Locals, nomads, and travelers alike gather here for solace and worship

of the Leviathan.

As night falls, the city transforms. The heat of the desert

recedes, and the streets come alive with lanterns, the sounds of music, and the

scent of grilled meats and sweet pastries. The skies above are dotted with

stars, and a warm golden glow from the city illuminates the horizon, casting

long shadows across the desert, creating an enchanting, almost otherworldly

feeling.

Pearlwater, with its fusion of desert mystery and maritime

vitality, stands as a bridge between two realms, its people resilient and

thriving in the heart of both extremes.

"So those are the designated

three?" Captain Slothpaw looked at the girls in front of him. One human

girl and two halflings. All three have brown eyes and brown hair. The nun bowed and left the room.

"What are your names? You girls seem to

be related... Are you daughters of a prostitute?"

The three girls clenched their fists. But

their expression remained neutral. It wasn't the first time someone insulted

their mother. Even though it was true...

"We are sisters, yes. Of the same

mother... My name is Ramla, the eldest. Adea here is the middle one. The

half-elf. And Nea. Our precious youngest sister. A half dwarf." Ramla

introduced herself and her sister to the captain of the ship. The Dalyla.

Ramla is a girl of average height. With a

bust size of F cup. The biggest amongst her sisters. Her body is curvy in all

the right places. Even though she isn't a cultivator. She is naturally

beautiful.

Adea was the tallest. With short brown hair.

She had modest B cup breasts. But her frail constitution and feminine charm

didn't lose out to her big sister.

Nea is the shortest. Not by much since she

has human blood in her. She has long brown hair like her big sister. But her

breasts are A cup on a good day. She's always frowning. But her sisters sees

her cuter like that.

The captain looked at the three girls. Then

his gaze returned to the eldest one. "Was your mother's name Hannah?"

The three girls shook. They looked down. They

were so angry...

"Your mother was a very good whore...

She sucked and fucked like no other... Ahhh... Good times... You think I'm one

of your fathers?" The captain said with a smug smile. Ramla only smiled

faintly.

"I don't think so, no. You weren't here

20 years ago. You only arrived at this city about 10 years ago, no?" Ramla

kept a straight face. She had to be polite and considerate. Lest this man use

her and her sister to his own ends.

"Bahhh! No matter. Do you really want

this job, though? You could make so much more being a prostitute... You

certainly have what it takes... You're even more beautiful than your mother...

May she rest in peace." The captain said as he lecherously gazed at the

poor Ramla.

"Well... I just need to be in the ship

with my two sisters. And the pay is good." Ramla said. She still has that

sad, faint smile. Remembering her poor mother...

"Hahahaha! I guess so, huh? Anyways.

Here. " The captain threw a money pouch at the girls.

"This will keep a roof over your heads

and full bellies till the trip to the Empire of Dawn. One day before the trip,

one of my men will come pick you up. So be prepared. Understood? " The

captain left the girls without looking back.

Adea pocketed the money and gave it to Nea.

She was the one responsible for their finances.

"Cheap bastard... There's only three

gold coins here... " Nea said that as she thought about that despicable

captain.

"Won't that be enough though?" Adea

said as she looked at Nea.

" Barely... It's good for food and

board. Just nothing else... Ughhh, this sucks... " Nea said, and as she

squatted down.

"At least... we'll be able to leave this

godforsaken city... I hate it here... " Ramla said as she looked at the

giant ship. She looked to be contemplating their next move.

"Yeah... I would love to see a forest...

They say forests house a multitude of trees. Flora and fauna as far as the eye

can see... Not like this place... Only desert and the sea..." Adea looked

at the sea. Ever since she was born. She had this longing for the forest. Being

part elf. She doesn't feel at home except with her sisters... But she feels she

can be whole in a forest as well...

"Count yourselves lucky then. If it

weren't for that weird prophecy. We would have stayed in this awful City for

the rest of our lives." Nea said as she started packing her things.

Ramla could only outside at the grand ship and

remembered the story of the leviathan.

In ancient times, when the oceans were

untamed and the skies over the sea were shrouded in mystery, there was a

massive creature known only as the Leviathan of the Black Reef. This great

beast, said to be older than the stars themselves, lurked beneath the deep,

shadowy waters of a dangerous stretch of sea known as the Veil of Sorrow.

The Leviathan was a creature of unimaginable

size—its scales gleamed black as night, and its eyes shone like twin moons. It

was rumored that the creature's roar could split the heavens, and its massive

tentacles could tear the mightiest ships asunder. But what made the Leviathan

truly feared was not its monstrous power, but the peculiar and terrifying

bargain it struck with those who sailed too close to the Black Reef.

Whenever a ship ventured into the dangerous

waters, the Leviathan would rise from the depths, its immense form casting a

shadow over the ship. The crew, trembling, would hear a voice as deep as the

ocean itself rumbling from the abyss.

"Three virgins must be aboard," it would

proclaim, "or none shall pass."

If the ship was not blessed with three

virgins among its crew, the Leviathan would block its path, rising from the sea

and casting a storm of unimaginable fury upon the vessel. The winds would howl,

the waves would rise to impossible heights, and the ship would be torn apart,

leaving only the shattered remnants to sink into the dark depths.

But if the ship obeyed and had three virgins

on board—young women untouched by love or the world's desires—the Leviathan

would grant them safe passage, allowing the ship to sail unharmed through its

domain. The women would never remember how or why the creature spared them, for

the Leviathan was not just a beast of the sea, but a creature of ancient and

unknowable magic.

Over the centuries, sailors and merchants

learned to fear the Black Reef, and whispers of the Leviathan's demands spread

across the seas. Ships would often go to great lengths to ensure they had three

virgins aboard, lest they be doomed to the watery grave that awaited those who

failed to satisfy the creature's strange hunger.

Yet, despite the horror it inspired, some

believed the Leviathan was not a cruel creature, but a guardian of the deep,

watching over the balance of nature. It was said that the Virgin's purity was a

symbol of offering, a way of respecting the ancient ways of the sea and the

creatures that inhabited it. Others, however, thought the Leviathan was merely

a dark force of nature, feeding on the fear and devotion of those who dared

cross its waters.

As time passed, fewer and fewer ships sailed

into the Veil of Sorrow, and the Leviathan was almost forgotten, becoming

little more than a myth told around campfires and in sailor's tales. But still,

the seas remain dangerous, and the Black Reef continues to lie in wait, as dark

and mysterious as ever.