Kalliphae bounded around excitedly when we made it to the harbor. She marveled at the various types of boats moored to the docks and the smells of fish cooking in the seaside restaurants. We were all too full to think about food, but the smells really did set the atmosphere.

Shara beamed at us as she led the way down the narrow docks, “Just wait until you see daddy’s boat. It’s the best.”

We made our way past fishing trawlers and personal speedboats toward a section where some rather nice boats were kept. Shara continued right past all of them until we arrived at a somewhat small motorboat. It was just big enough to fit the five of us.

Kalli looked at me skeptically. Maybe we should let them use the boat and take the phoenix.

I looked down at the eager kid who was so proud of the tiny boat.

I think we might hurt her feelings if we do that.

Kalliphae did not look happy, but she accepted Enrique’s hand and stepped gingerly into the tiny boat. I followed and plopped myself down on the bench next to Kalli. Shara sat on the middle bench facing us with a look of sheer excitement on her face. The bodyguards brought up the rear and the next thing I knew we were puttering our way out of the harbor.

Shara looked back and forth between Kalli and I before whining, “Hey. You two are in a group. Invite me already.”

Shara Shaw has joined the group

Sebastian Reynolds has joined the group

Enrique Hernandez has joined the group

The kid beamed her genuine excitement at us. Hi guys. Just wait until you see this.

While it was still early in our journey, I could tell that something was wrong with Kalli. It wasn’t just the sickening feeling that I was getting from her, but the girl was also starting to turn green.

The little boat was buffeted around the passage by the wakes of larger vessels as we made our way out to the open ocean. I idly wondered how far Shara’s bodyguards expected to get in such a little boat.

It didn’t take me long to see why Shara was so excited. Just a little way outside of the narrow passage leading from the harbor sat a boat that couldn’t possibly have fit in the harbor.

I was about to point it out to Kalliphae when she suddenly turned and deposited the entire queen’s feast into the choppy water around the boat. Noticing that she hadn’t redone her ponytail after the shower, I reached over and puller her hair out of the way.

She heaved several times even after she was empty and weakly thought. What is this? Why do I suddenly feel so sick?

Shara replied before I could. You just got seasick. If I had known I could have given you some medicine to prevent it. Don’t worry though, it's much better on daddy’s boat.

Kalli reached out and took the pill offered by the kid and looked it over. I thought this was your daddy’s boat.

I pointed the mega-yacht out to the redhead.

That would be daddy’s boat.

The yacht loomed over us as the tiny motorboat approached it. Several staff members made their way down to the back of the boat to help us board. Kalliphae shrugged and swallowed the pills that Shara gave her and allowed the staff to help her make her way onto the bigger boat. I disembarked after Shara and the bodyguards came up last.

I marveled at the massive yacht.

Now, this is what I call a boat.

Shara flooded the group with excitement and announced. I just knew you guys would like it. Wait until you see where we're going.

I could feel Kalli’s pain through the connection as she walked into one of the rooms on the yacht, trying to get away from the sea. I don’t think my stomach likes this ocean very much.

It’s actually the motion of the boat that’s making you feel nauseous. You might feel better if you take the phoenix out for a while.

She shook her head. The way I feel right now, I think I would fall off.

Since Kalliphae needed to rest, Shara decided to take me on a tour of the boat. It felt like a miniature cruise ship. The yacht seemed to have a room for everything. There was a game room, a cigar room, a theatre room, and 6 bedrooms. Shana showed me a pink one that clashed with the decor on the rest of the boat and proudly announced. This is my room. Daddy says I have the best view on the boat, but I just know his room is better. I don’t mind though. He is daddy after all.

I had been busy counting her stuffed animals when I noticed a large plastic console resting on a shelf.

No way. Is that a Joycast 3000?

The kid squealed and ran over to the console. You’ve heard of this?

Of course, I’ve heard of that. It’s not even supposed to be out yet. How did you get it?

She gave me a look like she couldn’t believe I was this dense. Daddy, duh.

I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that she owned a video game console that wasn’t due to be out for 2 more years.

What games do you have for it?

She produced a pile of games that made my knees weak. There were sequels to games that I had resigned myself to waiting until I was an adult to play.

It suddenly dawned on me that I might be able to use my skills to make my dreams into reality. I reached into my bag and took out some of the treant bark from the previous night.

Shara gave me a quizzical look and questioned me. What are you doing with that?

Want to see a magic trick?

The kid smiled. Sure.

Item:

Treant Bark

Components

Organic Material

Item Rank:

D

Item Level:

1

Item Owner:

Murphy

I made a few tweaks.

Item:

Joycast 3000 (Edited)

Components

Plastic, Metal, Rare Earth

Item Rank:

D

Item Level:

1

Item Owner:

Murphy

I watched the kid frown at me as I duplicated her prized possession. Hey, how did you do that? Does it work?

It’s magic. I think it does.

Shara insisted that we plug it in and try a game. I heaved a huge sigh of relief when the game showed up on the television. Shara appraised me and noted. You sure are a strange summoner. First, you summon that big rock and now you summoned a Joycast.

I grinned at her and picked up a controller.

In the end, it took both Shara and Kalli to drag me out of her bedroom. I was immersed in a game that hadn’t had a proper sequel in over 10 years. Kalliphae sent me a wave of aggravation. If this is what video games do to people, then maybe I don’t want to do it after all.

I reluctantly relinquished my grip on the controller and allowed the girls to frog march me up to the deck of the yacht. I rubbed my eyes when I made it topside as what I was seeing made no sense to me.

A platform constructed out of water rested lazily on the surface of the ocean. Several other boats were docked alongside the anomaly. I could vaguely make out other people disembarking and walking on the liquid surface of the platform. I tossed a suspicious glance at Shara.

What is this?

The kid laughed and announced the quest. Underwater sea mapping.

Mapping the transoceanic tunnels

Chart one branch of the cave system beneath the ocean

Bring back a copy of your map as proof of completion. Reward: 1000 Gold + Any relics discovered

The Shaw family has sponsored an exploration event

This is B ranked?

Shara laughed and planted her hands on her hips triumphantly. Ha ha ha. I got us a spot on an S rank expedition. Don’t worry though. We are only going to be tagging along with some high-ranked adventurers.

As she spoke a bridge made completely out of water extended from the platform to the yacht. I was unsure of what to do, but Sebastian and Enrique took Shara’s hands and guided her onto the liquid gangplank. I looked on in awe as their feet found purchase on the shimmering surface of the water.

I offered my hand to Kalliphae and thought at her.

Shall we?

She huffed at me and tossed her hair, stepping onto the walkway without me. Shara giggled and I was left with no choice but to follow them down to the platform.

Hundreds of people were gathered on the massive disc listening to a woman who was floating in the air above them, “You will all be assigned a passage to explore. The conditions for the completion of your quest will be to map any progress you make in your section, dispatch any threats you may find, and chart any hazards that exist in the environment. Your portion of the reward will be determined by your overall success.”

Who is that?

Shara nodded at the floating mage.That is my aunt. Her name is Vestara Shaw. She’s really strong.

I decided to check her out.

Name

Vestara Shaw

Class

Aquizard

Level

50

Affection Level

Indifferent

I let out a low whistle when I noticed her level which earned me a lot of cold stares from the gathered crowd. A flustered Kalliphae thumped me in the shoulder and thought. Shush. You’re attracting attention.

I ignored the rebuke and asked Shara a question.

Is she making this water thing we're standing on?

Shara nodded again. She is leading the expedition. She is going to make the bubble zone that allows us to get to the bottom. I don’t know how she does it, but she creates a void in the water that prevents the water pressure from affecting us down there. That way we don’t have to wait to depressurize on the way up.

After the speech ended, the adventurers all started separating into groups. Vestara made her way over to us and bowed before Shara, who acknowledged her with a slight nod.

“Who are your friends?”, Vestara asked as she appraised Kalli and I.

Shara pointed to us, “These are my new best friends. This one is Kalliphae. She’s an aspiring Pyromancer. The other one is Melvin who is a weird summoner. He summoned a Joycast before we got here.”

Vestara raised an eyebrow at our introductions. The woman appeared to be in her thirties and had the same jet black hair and dark brown eyes that Shara had. It was obvious that they were related. After looking us over, she announced, “You will stay with me in the base chamber. I shall assign additional guards to ensure your safety. You will be allowed to explore the main chamber for relics, but you are not to go into any of the fissures. Do you understand?”

Kalli and I chanted, “Yes, Ma’am”

Shara nodded and said, “That will do.”

Vestara offered the two of us a weak smile before bowing to Shara and marching off to see to the rest of the alliance.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the platform

An annoyed Nestor took out his communication device. He didn’t like disguises. Not one bit. Unfortunately, the brats had seen through his shroud and would recognize his normal attire. He had no choice but to employ a physical form of stealth. That resulted in a visit to the Men’s Warehouse where he found a dull grey suit that made him blend in with accountants all over the world.

The disguise appeared to be working. The kids hadn’t even given him a second glance. He failed to realize that he would blend in much better with this crowd had the two of them even been looking. His red dot would have been drowned out in a sea of red dots.

When the man heard of a Shaw expedition occurring so close to the place where they were hunting the manipulator, he had a feeling in his gut that his quarry would turn up.

Unfortunately, the pair had arrived with a major complication. The voice on the other end of the device answered, “Yes?”

Nestor took a deep breath and explained the situation, “I have found them. However, they appear to have allied with the Shaw family.”

There was a pause on the other end. That was never a good sign. Finally, the voice asked, “Can you get the girl without alerting the Shaws?”

He sighed. He hadn’t told them the worst part yet, “They are in close proximity to the heir.”

This time the voice answered promptly, its frustration evident, “That does present a problem. Observe only for now.”

Nestor looked dejectedly at the device, resigning himself to a day of hard work, “It shall be done.”