The ship stood still as Ray slowly lowered a small boat into the water.
He placed the knife to his side and began rowing toward the area where Sicilia had said the red line would appear. For a moment, he paused and glanced back at the ship.
This might be the last time I breathe peacefully, he thought—and then continued forward.
After rowing for a while, the boat suddenly slammed into something invisible. The impact made the entire vessel groan under pressure.
"What was that?!" Ray shouted, struggling to keep his balance.
Buzz.
A sizzling sound echoed through the air, and then—like something out of a dream—a massive man materialized above the water. He wore a flowing white robe, and behind his head gleamed a golden ring like a halo. In one hand—which was larger than Ray's entire boat—he held a staff made of twisted wood.
The towering figure gazed around, blinking as if Ray were an ant he couldn't quite see from his altitude. After a moment, he bent down.
"WHAT'S YOUR NAME, CHILD?" boomed the voice, echoing so loudly that the boat trembled and buckled under the wind and pressure.
Ray wiped his face, shouting back, "I—I'm Ray—no, I mean Raymond Lockwood!"
The man, whose head disappeared into the clouds when he stood at full height, chuckled.
"WELL, RAY—FITS YOU. SMALL, JUST LIKE YOURSELF." He laughed heartily, still bent over. "ANYWAY, I'M YUSUF. NICE TO MEET YOU."
Seriously? He's making fun of me? Ray thought, Maybe if he likes me, he'll let me through without the trial...
"Is that so. Anyway, nice to meet you, Yusuf," Ray shouted politely, subtly hiding his knife behind his back. Yusuf tilted his head, clearly trying to get a glimpse of what Ray was concealing, but Ray quickly sat down on it.
"SO, WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE, CHILD?" Yusuf asked, bringing his enormous eye closer. To Ray, it looked like the sky itself was peering into him.
Ray gulped and looked down before forcing himself to meet that divine gaze. "I... I came to take the trial. I want to enter the Void Sea."
Yusuf fell silent, stroking his chin as though pondering something ancient and weighty. "Hmm..."
Ray waited anxiously as Yusuf closed his eyes, clearly deep in thought.
Then, the giant's eyes opened again. "DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PLAY CHESS?"
Ray frowned. Is this supposed to be my trial?
"Yes... Yes, I can," he said, nodding quickly.
Three hours later...
Ray sat cross-legged in front of a massive chessboard—so large it reminded him of the main hall back at the Academy. Each chess piece towered over him, some as tall as trees, moving smoothly in response to his commands. Across from him, Yusuf played with ease, casually using his fingers to reposition the enormous pieces like they were mere figurines.
Ray's brow was furrowed in concentration. He hadn't dared to take this lightly. Losing, he feared, might mean death.
But he had lost. Again.
And again.
And again.
Thirteen games. Thirteen losses.
"THERE. YOU LOST AGAIN," Yusuf bellowed, clearly amused.
Ray snapped, standing up in frustration. "Hey! I was told that failing the trial meant death! Are you even the real deal? Or just some knock-off guardian? Where's your actual boss?!"
He glanced around, hoping—absurdly—that someone else would appear and take over.
But when his eyes returned to Yusuf, the giant had a slow, twisted smirk spreading across his face. "DID YOU...JUST CALLED ME A COPY CAT?" His voice dropped low, controlled, but crackling with fury. "I COULD PRESS YOU WITH MY LITTLE FINGER AND YOU'D FIR LIKE AN ANT"
'Okay… maybe "little finger" was a bit too far' Ray thought, sweat forming at his temples. But on the outside, he kept a smile—a soft, diplomatic one with just the right touch of innocence, as if saying: Who, me? Surely you misheard...
"WELL, ANYWAY—" Yusuf suddenly said with a snap of his fingers.
The massive chessboard vanished into thin air with a sharp pop. The game was gone.
"SO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE VOID SEA?"
Ray's smile twitched at the edges, straining to stay in place. "I believe I made that pretty clear... quite a while ago."
"I KNOW, I KNOW," Yusuf muttered, rubbing his face like a tired god weary of his own eternity. He floated mid-air, head resting lazily on his palm. "WHAT IF I SAID YOU CAN'T?"
Ray's temper teetered on the edge, but he knew—deep down—that arguing with this being was like arguing with a mountain. A mountain that could swat him into oblivion.
"I'm sorry?" he asked, feigning polite confusion.
Yusuf sighed. A deep, thunderous exhale that rolled across the water like a prelude to a tsunami.
"I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN. NO ONE WHO COMES HERE EVER DOES." His voice grew more solemn. "IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. EVEN WHEN PEOPLE KNOW ONLY DEATH AWAITS HERE, THEY STILL COME. AND SO—" Yusuf looked down to address him directly.
But Ray was already rowing away, creeping his boat ever-so-slightly forward, as if pretending there wasn't a celestial guardian giving a lecture above him.
Yusuf's brow twitched. He reached down, grabbed Ray by the collar, and lifted him into the air, placing him gently into his massive palm.
Ray squirmed. "Wha—what are you doing?"
The wind tore at him as Yusuf brought him closer, his grip surprisingly gentle. Ray clung to the giant's skin, digging his nails in to keep from flying off.
"SO YOU WANT TO VISIT THE VOID SEA," Yusuf said again—his voice so close now that it practically shattered Ray's eardrums.
Ray's patience finally snapped. "You know what? No. No, I don't! Why would I want to go to the Void Sea? I came here to... to look at the water! And you! Yes, you!" He jabbed a trembling finger up at Yusuf, who tilted his head, confused. "I came to meet you—this big... ridiculous body of yours!"
The words spilled out before Ray realized what he was saying. Too late.
He pressed his lips together, looking away. "Um... what I meant was—"
Before he could continue, a voice—soft, surprised—cut in.
"YOU CAME TO MEET ME?"
Ray looked up. Yusuf's giant face was glowing. He was blushing—actually blushing—as he held his face in hand, stunned.
"THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN—I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG—SOMEONE'S SAID THAT." His smile was soft, almost bashful. "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT."
He looked off into the endless sky, eyes filled with nostalgia. For a moment, it was as if time itself had stopped—like he was watching every memory he had ever known drift gently across the stars.
Ray's guilt crept in. He hadn't meant to make him emotional... but seeing Yusuf smile because of him stirred something in his chest. He couldn't remember the last time someone had smiled because of him.
Usually, he just brought people pain. Misery. Regret.
He scratched his neck and looked away.
Swish.
Yusuf lifted Ray again and placed him gently back on the boat.
"I PLAYED CHESS WITH YOU," Yusuf said, conjuring his staff from the air with a slow wave, "BECAUSE ALMOST NO ONE EVER COMES HERE. AND THOSE WHO DO... NEVER RETURN ALIVE. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN BEFORE YOU DIE."
A
He gave a faint smile.
"ALTHOUGH..." he added, "NOW I HOPE YOU COME BACK."
He raised his staff, then struck the air.
"ACTIVATE: GREAT DOOR."
A portal opened before Ray's boat. Its swirling edges shimmered, but what lay beyond was nothing but black—darkness so complete it looked like death itself was waiting.
"RAYMOND LOCKWOOD. YOU MAY ENTER THE VOID SEAa. BUT FIRST... YOU MUST GIVE ME SOMETHING FOR THIS TRADE."
Yusuf began chanting, his voice resonating with ancient power.
"THE ONE WHO SEEKS TO CROSS THE LINE OF FATE... MUST OFFER A GIFT WORTHY OF THE PASSAGE."
A whirlpool began to form in the water—spinning, glowing—positioned precisely between Ray's boat and the gateway.
Ray looked from the whirlpool to the portal, his expression falling.
"But... I don't have anything to give you," he whispered.