CHAPTER 1
Levi
Perpetual night envelops me. I glide through the Midnight Zone, an endless expanse of absolute darkness where even light surrenders to the void. Here, thousands of feet beneath the ocean’s surface, I savor being in my kraken form. My tentacles stretch a hundred feet through the inky waters, each one attuned to the slightest disturbance in the deep.
Alone in the abyss, the persistent feeling of being an outsider finally fades. The pressure to fit in, to mask my true nature, dissolves in the vast indifference of the ocean. I find the peace in this dark that eludes me among my people. I am just another predator swimming through waters that have welcomed creatures like me since the dawn of time.
My bioluminescent markings pulse softly, casting a blue glow that barely penetrates the gloom. I dim them further, keeping them just bright enough to sense my surroundings without alerting my prey.
As I propel myself through the water with powerful undulations of my tentacles, my mind wanders to thoughts of my unusual heritage. I am not like the other krakens. My father, a human, fell in love with my kraken mother during a chance encounter on the surface world. My mother rarely spoke of him except to say they had loved each other deeply. Now, years after her death, I’m left with only questions. Why didn’t she stay with him? What drove her back to the depths? I will never know because she took these secrets to her grave. I have often wished that I’d pressed her for answers while I still had the chance.
I am the product of their forbidden love – a half-breed kraken. Physically, there’s little to distinguish me from pure-blooded krakens, save that I’m slightly smaller than average. The only real difference lies in how easily I can shift to human form, a transformation other krakens find taxing and painful.
I’ve never met another like me, though I’ve heard whispered stories of half-breeds who were driven from our waters long before my birth. Sometimes I wonder if there are others like me hiding within our society, though I understand their silence. Who would dare reveal themselves when discovery means exile or worse? Half-breeds, after all, are treated with nothing but contempt, suspicion, and hostility.
When the Kraken King chose me as royal hunter and warrior, I knew I couldn’t accept such an honor built on lies. I confessed my mixed blood, expecting to be driven from our waters. Instead, he saw potential where others would have seen an abomination. Under his guidance, I’ve trained harder than any pure-blooded kraken, determined to prove his faith in me wasn’t misplaced.
I taste the water, my highly sensitive receptors picking up the faintest trace of my quarry – a giant squid. Its briny, metallic signature is unmistakable. These creatures are among the fewthat can rival a kraken in size and ferocity. The strength of its scent promises a prey worth the pursuit.
I propel myself forward. The pressure at this depth would crush most creatures, but for me, it’s invigorating. Every cell in my body sings with the thrill of the hunt.
As I descend deeper into the abyss, bioluminescent creatures flicker past me like living stars.
I sense a shift in the water currents. The metallic tang grows sharper, more potent – my prey is close. I extinguish my bioluminescence completely, becoming one with the darkness. Now, I rely solely on my other senses – the minute vibrations in the water, the subtle changes in pressure, the intensifying taste of cephalopod that tells me exactly where to strike.
A flicker of movement catches my eye – a ghostly shape materializing from the gloom to my right. The giant squid, having detected my presence, unfurls its massive tentacles in a desperate bid for freedom. But in the fathomless deep, I am the apex predator. With a powerful flex of my body, I explode through the water.
We collide in a violent dance of writhing limbs. The squid’s tentacles slash through the water with lethal grace, each sucker ringed with razor teeth. But I’ve hunted their kind for many years. Before those dangerous suckers can find purchase, I’ve already coiled around its mantle. Though it thrashes with savage fury, my grip remains unbreakable.
The battle is fierce but brief. With a final, crushing squeeze, I subdue my prey. As the giant squid goes limp in my grasp, a sense of triumph courses through me. This hunt will feed many of my people, a testament to my skill and strength.
A familiar vibration shivers through my consciousness as I begin my ascent, my prize in tow. The King Kraken’s bio-electric pulse reverberates through the deep – a powerful signalthat resonates in every kraken’s core. The intensity of the call, emanating from the royal chambers, leaves no room for delay.
Confusion and a hint of worry ripple through me. What could be so urgent that I’m called away from a successful hunt? In all my years serving the Kraken King, I’ve rarely received an unexpected summons.
With a powerful flick of my tentacles, I increase my speed, towing my hard-won prey behind me. The pressure around me gradually lessens as I rise through the ocean’s layers, from the darkest depths towards the twilight zone where our vast underwater city lies.
The bioluminescent lights of our city come into view. It is a sprawling metropolis of coral structures and carved stone, all aglow with an otherworldly radiance. Krakens of all sizes swim about their daily lives, some pausing to stare as I pass with my quarry.
I briefly detour to deposit the giant squid in the palace kitchen before racing toward the royal chambers. I concentrate as I approach the ornate entrance, feeling my kraken form shift and streamline. My tentacles contract and thin while my mass reduces, transforming me into my smaller, more agile scout form – perfect for traversing the palace corridors.
The grand hall looms before me, its massive doors adorned with intricate carvings depicting the history of our people. Guards, in their kraken forms, flank the entrance, their tentacles coiled and ready. They nod solemnly as I approach, parting to allow me passage into the heart of kraken power.
The royal chamber is a marvel of underwater architecture. Columns of living coral stretch toward the cavern ceiling, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the deep blue of the surrounding water.
And there, seated upon a throne of polished mother of pearl, crystals, and whalebone, is the Kraken King himself. He’s in hiskraken form, massive tentacles coiled around his ancient seat like living pillars. Power emanates from him in palpable waves, a reminder that he rules not through politics alone but through pure, devastating strength. His eyes, as deep and ancient as the abyss, fix upon me as I enter.
Flanking the King’s majestic throne are smaller, yet no less ornate, thrones occupied by his family. To his right sits the Kraken Queen, her form graceful and powerful, her tentacles a shimmering array of colors that seem to shift in the bioluminescent light. Her throne is crafted from delicate coral and studded with pearls. Around them, arrayed in a semicircle, are the royal children – princes and princesses of varying ages, each seated on thrones that reflect their status and personalities. Some are adorned with vibrant sea flowers, others with intricate patterns of shells and sea glass. The youngest prince, barely more than a hatchling, wraps his tiny tentacles playfully around the arms of his miniature throne, his eyes wide with curiosity as he watches the proceedings. The sight of the entire royal family assembled is both intimidating and awe-inspiring, a vivid reminder of the power and legacy of the kraken monarchy.
“Levistus,” the King’s voice booms through the water, sending vibrations through my entire body. “Approach.”
Heart pounding, I swim forward, acutely aware of the many eyes upon me. The court is full today, with krakens from all levels of our society in attendance. What could warrant such a gathering?
As I reach the foot of the throne, the Kraken King waves a tentacle for silence. The entire room seems to hold its breath, waiting.
“My people,” he begins, his voice carrying to every corner of the chamber. “I have called you here today to witness a momentous occasion. For years, I have watched and waited, seeking one worthy to take on a role of utmost importance.”
Murmurs ripple through the crowd. I remain still, hardly daring to blink. The thrill of my recent hunt is replaced by a new tension, coiling in my gut like an eel.
