The Lost One: Chapters 25-27: A WOF Fanfic

Instructions

TW: I dont think so... I did lable the chapters wrong, sorry! Chapter 25 The storm raged for the next four hours, the rain so heavy that Winter had to rely entirely on his instincts and the incredible speed of Turtle's dinghy. Moon sat rigid, shivering, staring fixedly at the rough ocean. "Any thoughts?" Qibli asked quietly, trying to shield Moon from the spray. Moon shook her head quickly, her eyes shut tight. "Nothing clear. Too much noise from the storm, and too many fish thoughts." The distraction of the weather was a blessing; no one would spot them. But the cold was relentless, seeping into Crystal's scales and making her healing ribs ache. The seawater that splashed onto her pale wrists stung, making the chalky scales feel even more brittle. She unrolled the stolen scroll and peered at the map section, illuminated faintly by the bioluminescent algae disturbed by their speed. The map showed the path to Pantala—a distant, jagged edge of land far beyond the horizon. At 5:00 AM, the dinghy suddenly slowed, the enchantment wearing off. The powerful surge vanished, leaving them bobbing helplessly on the dark, swelling waves. "Four hours are up," Winter said grimly, looking at the distant, barely visible coastline of Pyrrhia behind them. They were in the middle of the deep ocean, relying only on their wings and the slow, arduous effort of paddling the dinghy. "We have to take turns flying," Qibli announced, looking utterly miserable. "We'll fly for an hour, then switch. Crystal, you stay in the boat and save your strength." Crystal opened her mouth to argue, but Winter cut her off with a sharp glare. "You're carrying the fire, Crystal. You don't get to argue." She hated it, but she knew he was right. Qibli and Winter took the first shift, towing the heavy dinghy with strained wingbeats. Kinkajou took the next, her camouflage useless over the black water. As the sun finally broke through the clouds, Moon took her shift, flying silently and desperately. Crystal watched the horizon, searching for any sign of land, any sign of their destiny. The vastness of the ocean made her feel impossibly small, yet the fear of the unstable fire made the Queen's Crown feel impossibly close.

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