“Excellent,” Triton said, “you did better than most who managed to make it this far.”

  Lukey looked down at himself; he looked at his mangled hand, then at his shredded leg. Finally, he looked up and gave Triton a look that was a mix of confusion and surprise.

  “You mean others had it worse? For both the trials?” Lukey said in disbelief.

  “Indeed,” Triton said with a nod. “For the previous room, many young fishermen lack the concentration to strike at the fish underwater. Cave fish especially are hard to hit because they can sense the strike if your spear is too slow.”

  “As for the trial you just faced, I think you already know why a spear would be impractical against the Armored Trollfish.”

  Lukey looked back on the fight and slowly realized the answer. The armored trollfish would be a menace against anyone used to spearfishing. First, it had enhanced senses and reactions in exchange for its sight, enabling it to dodge any attack that was too slow to hit it. Second, even if you hit it, you still had to contend with the armored skin that resisted piercing and blunt blows. Even if Lukey had brought a spear with him, he doubted the result would’ve been much different.

  Lukey walked over to the drawbridge and made his way up to the old man. He saw that the door had already been opened, likely from the lever that he pulled up earlier. Before he moved on, Lukey needed to ask something.

  “Do we have much further to go? My equipment is destroyed, and I can’t fight; heck, I can barely move.” Lukey said, letting out ragged breaths.

  “Don’t worry, this was the worst of it. All that’s left is a short swim, and you’ll have made it to the final area. I suggest you leave your equipment here, as it would only slow you down.” Triton said.

  Lukey looked down at the water below and took a glance at his scattered fishing tools. Some of it, he spent months refining. It was a testament to the upper limits of what he was capable of. These tools were specially made for taking down any normal fish, and yet they were destroyed when faced with a real monster. Lukey couldn’t help but sigh at the sight.

  “Why so glum?” Triton asked. “A monster like that is considered the upper limit of what a classless person could handle. You should be proud that you could beat it at all, especially without any prior training.”

  “I just thought that no matter what trick I used, they all ended up breaking against something that was far stronger than myself,” Lukey said. “When I get my class, I need to find better ways to fight.”

  “That is a good attitude to have, young man. Always continue to strive for improvement. I didn’t think I could do more than I could, but then I became a lancer as my second class. Now, I am far more effective with my spear than I ever was solely as a fisherman.”

  “Do you think I could ever go to the major capitals and get a second class?” Lukey asked.

  “You will have to ask him about it. Speaking of which, let’s get a move on; judging by how long we’ve been here, the day is almost over.”

  Lukey nodded and followed Triton through the gate, leaving his equipment behind. He followed Triton through the corridor and down a series of steps. The steps eventually ended at a small glowing pond that sat embedded in the rock of the tunnel. Lukey was confused but remembered Triton's words from earlier.

  “Now, follow me,” Triton said, then stepped off the stone steps and into the pond. After some slight hesitation, Lukey took a deep breath and then did the same. He felt the cool water surround him as he fell a few yards down and landed on soft sand. He looked around and saw Triton moving out of a tunnel that let out of the small pond. Worried he could lose him, Lukey rushed after the old man.

  The tunnel was lined with glowing algae, which Lukey suspected was what made the pond glow earlier. The tunnel continued for a while before eventually opening into a wider cavern. Lukey looked in wonder as the cavern was practically blanketed in the stuff, but that’s not all it contained. The cavern contained all sorts of marine life, from small black fish lined with light to small crabs and even some colorful slugs.

  This is amazing! To think such a diverse world can exist even underground. It’s amazing how life adapts.

  The cavern went on for a while, with Lukey pondering how this ecosystem even worked. The creatures all probably feed on algae, so the environment didn’t give rise to any carnivores.

  Lukey’s musings were thrown to the back of his mind, however, as they began to approach what looked to be the exit of the cavern. The glowing algae and life eventually stopped, and he could see streams of light filtering down to the floor through the cavern mouth.

  Lukey and Triton swam through and made their way upwards, towards the surface of the water. They must have been heading upwards towards sea level, because they rose for a good long while before they broke the surface. Two bursts of water identified Lukey and Triton as they appeared in a lake.

  Behind the lake was a massive wall of rock, and beyond the lake, a grove of trees that blocked out the sun. Some dim evening light filtered down, but the only reliable source of light was the tall torches that stuck out of the ground near the lake.

  Lukey was left gasping for air after that long swim. Curiously, Triton appeared to be fine, despite being underwater for just as long. Lukey looked around and spotted the torches, then saw Triton heading towards them, leaving him behind. He started swimming in a hurry using practiced strokes and eventually reached a series of steps that led off the water.

  Lukey walked up and saw that Triton had already gotten out of the water. He did the same, walking up the stairs and onto a path made of stepping stones. It created a neat path through the grove that was lined with torches. From the presentation, Lukey could tell that this was the end, but he couldn’t help but be curious as to where they were.

  “What is this place?” Lukey asked.

  “There is a better place to answer your questions. This way,” Triton said. Lukey was frustrated but kept his concerns down as they walked down the stepping-stone pathway.

  The Lukey could see that the path led into an open gate and a large open area. He couldn’t see much of what was inside, as large walls made of dried, woven wood obscured his vision. He could see a long table with some chairs beyond the gate, made of the same wood as the walls, but not much else. Curious, he followed Triton even faster to get through the gate. When he made it through, he stared with wonder at his surroundings.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  To his left and right were the bones of enormous fish, far larger than the puny trollfish he killed earlier. One looked to be about the size of his house, with rows of sharp teeth and a fat, powerful body. Another looked like it was the size of his village, with a head and teeth like a reptile and a snake-like body with limbs spaced out across its length.

  Bones weren’t the only things here either, as he saw a giant eyeball at least three times his height. Near it was a giant barrel, with a small statue of a jellyfish sitting atop the lid. They all sat on wooden displays, made especially to hold up the corpses and show them from every angle. The trophies weren’t the only impressive thing about this place, however.

  A short distance in front of Lukey was a massive wooden statue that looked like it was carved from a series of individual wooden pieces and then put together. It depicted an old man that was both extremely tall and muscular, with an uncut beard that flowed out from his face to his chest like a waterfall. There were intricate carvings on the statue that looked like tattoos, each depicting some glorious battle against a terrifying sea creature. In one hand, he held a giant spear in front of him in an upright position. The other hand rested at his side and held what looked like a massive net. The entire thing seemed to depict this man as if he were a god, then it hit him.

  This was a sovereign icon, presumably the Icon of the Fisherman.

  Lukey had no idea who this legendary fisherman was or how he came to be so great, but already he was far more impressed than when he first saw the botanist’s sovereign icon. To be fair, the icon of Havana was a cheap replica of the original, transported here to Leviathan's Rest.

  The icon in front of him, however, was most definitely the only one of its kind. The same power he felt outside the rock walls was even more present here, as it seemed to be emanating from the statue. The energy felt like the rolling ocean waves as it passed through his body, as if the man before him was the master of the sea himself.

  “Welcome to Hemingway’s Hideaway!”

  Lukey didn’t recognize the voice and looked around to find the source. He thought he could hear it from his left, but it was obscured behind one of the many trophies that surrounded the statue. The figure moved around two of the trophies, and Luke's eyes widened. Before him was a man he recognized well; he was known by everyone on the island, in fact.

  “I should apologize. I only just returned from my duties, and I didn’t have time to get properly prepared for your arrival,” the voice said.

  He had raven hair that flowed behind him and down to his back and in front of his shoulders. Crimson eyes that practically shone in the dark. Tanned skin a shade darker than most of the islanders. A bite from a sea monster left a large scar across his right shoulder. He was quite tall, and his body was practically inflated with muscle, even on his slightly bulging stomach.

  This was the emperor of Leviathan's Rest, Caldoon.

  His deep voice boomed towards Lukey as he flashed a smile that was vaguely reminiscent of the way the eel looked at him.

  “Typically, we would welcome you here with a feast. Unfortunately, I was held up, so I didn’t have time to prepare it. Still, it shouldn’t take too long, so please, sit.” Caldoon said.

  Lukey was shocked into silence, so he didn’t notice the giant tuna that the emperor held over his shoulder. It was easily five times as big as the trollfish he killed, and the emperor hefted it with ease. Caldoon set the tuna down, then walked over to gather some rocks and wooden logs that sat in the corner. He proceeded to leisurely construct a fire, and Lukey sat down in one of the chairs in silence.

  After patiently waiting for the tuna to be cooked, everyone present received a massive serving of the grilled fish. It was plain and without any seasoning, but after the misery Lukey went through to get here, he was satisfied with the meal. After they all finished, Caldoon spoke up.

  “Dammit, nothing tastes good anymore after eating something made by a proper chef. We really need to get more people to come to the island. Speaking of which…”

  Caldoon looked towards Lukey.

  Lukey became visibly frightened as he saw the massive man stare down at him from across the table. What could this monster possibly want with him? He was already surprised that the emperor was part of this secret group of fishermen. He couldn’t think of anything special, so he waited in silence for what Caldoon would say.

  “First of all, welcome to a prestigious group among our people. At least it would be prestigious if the times weren’t changing,” Caldoon said.

  “It used to be that only the best hunters on the island got the fisherman class. When you do, you will be a celebrated hero across the entire island. Now the foreigners arrive, and they tell people that anyone can receive a class. What’s more, there are dozens of different classes, each with their own specializations, and you can even obtain two of them.”

  “Needless to say,” Caldoon sighed, “times are changing, and if we do not change with them, our people and our traditions will be swallowed up by the waves approaching our shores.”

  “I’m just here to get a class. I’d be happy to help, but I don’t know what I could do,” Lukey said.

  “Tell me how you survived the trials.” Caldoon asked.

  Lukey was confused but began explaining everything he went through and what he did. Caldoon listened with interest as Lukey could see a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. He was probably remembering his own hardships going through the trials.

  “Impressive,” Caldoon said, “you are a fisherman, but you’re an angler rather than a spear-fisher. Instead of using a normal weapon, you choose to adapt and create your own hunting tools, changing strategies depending on what the situation calls for. Do you agree with that assessment?” Caldoon asked.

  Lukey was taken aback but agreed with the assessment. It did sound like how he chose to do things. He was lazy, and even when he had to fight, he preferred to do it in an indirect way. When the situation demanded it, he would make a change, but he always made sure to come prepared to prevent that. Waiting for the right moment and ending things in one blow was preferable to a drawn-out duel.

  “The fact is, Lukey, we need more fishermen like you. Our view has become so narrow as to what a fisherman is that you are the first person to take the class after me.” Caldoon said.

  “Triton mentioned that, but I still can’t believe it. You two are the only ones with a fisherman class on the island?” Lukey questioned.

  “Correct, unfortunately. We have tried to find promising hunters to take the class, but most people on the island are obsessed with taking the botanist class, since they believe it’s the only one available on the island.” Triton said.

  “Then why not reveal the existence of the icon and promote the class?” Lukey asked.

  Caldoon slammed his fist on the table, and the entire structure shuddered.

  “Absolutely not,” the emperor bellowed, “at least, not to anyone untrustworthy. Other kingdoms have entire armies to protect their icon, but we have no one. If we reveal the existence of this place, foreigners will hear about it and likely try to destroy our icon.”

  “WHAT, WHY!?” Lukey asked in disbelief.

  Caldoon observed Lukey’s outburst calmly. After waiting for him to calm down, the emperor finally spoke.

  “To impose their sovereignty.”

  Lukey was confused, but Caldoon continued.

  “You know this already, but every class was created by a sovereign that rose to become a legend. Not all these sovereigns were good people, however, with some being assassins and thieves. In accordance with their beliefs, the followers of these paths impose their sovereignty on other classes, usually by hunting people down or destroying their sovereign icons.”

  Lukey was shocked that anyone would think of destroying a sovereign icon. These statues depicted people that rose to divine status. That was without even mentioning the sacred ability of the icons to bestow classes. Lukey had only started to reach manhood, and information like this revealed just how ignorant he was about how the world worked.

  Caldoon spoke once more.

  “I have a plan that will help promote the class and grant it to outsiders, but to do it I am going to need your help.”

  Lukey looked up at Caldoon, then gave a look of confusion.

  “How exactly do you want me to help?” Lukey said with hints of excitement and caution.

  “You’re going to remind people exactly how beneficial a fisherman can be to this island,” Caldoon said. “First, however, you must obtain the class.”