The sunlight shimmered through the swaying trees as the Pogues made their way down a narrow creek path, their stolen boat docked just out of sight. The early morning air was still heavy with tension from the chaos of the day before, but none of them said it aloud. Too much had happened too quickly—and they were barely holding it together.
Nate walked at the front, jaw clenched, eyes scanning the woods like a hawk. He hadn't said much since their close call with the authorities. Ava watched him from behind, noticing the weight he carried in his silence. Ever since the Royal Merchant clue had fallen into their laps, Nate had grown more intense—more driven. Something deeper was driving him.
Kaito broke the silence. "You sure this is the right place?"
Ryuji, who had been unusually quiet, checked the compass in his hand. "Yeah. If the map's right, there should be a ridge just past this clearing. That's where the next clue is hidden."
As they pushed forward, they came across an old rusted well hidden behind vines and branches. Kaito gave a low whistle. "Creepy."
Nate stepped closer. "It's the spot. Look for anything out of place."
The group fanned out, each checking the surrounding area. Ryuji knelt by the stones, brushing dirt aside with focused precision. "There's something etched here," he said. "It's a crest. Same as the one on the Royal Merchant diary."
Nate's eyes lit up, the fire of obsession briefly showing itself. "Then this is it."
Suddenly, the sky rumbled—thunder cracking in the distance. A storm was brewing.
Ava stepped beside Nate, brushing hair out of her face. "You okay?"
He hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Just... a lot on my mind."
She placed a hand gently on his arm. "You don't have to carry it all alone, you know."
He met her eyes. For a moment, the world went still. A storm in his chest raged on, but her presence calmed it.
Before anything else could be said, Ryuji shouted, "Found something!" He pulled out a small, rusted box from beneath a loose stone. Inside was a soaked fragment of parchment, barely legible but enough to see the words: Beneath the tides, the true path lies.
Kaito frowned. "Another riddle? Great."
Nate smirked, the adrenaline dulling the pain he'd buried deep. "Let's solve it."
As thunder cracked louder above, the Pogues stood together, soaked in rain but unshaken. Every answer raised more questions—but they had each other. For now, that was enough.
But behind the trees, far from sight, a shadow watched them. Cold, calculating, waiting.
The hunt had only just begun.