In the midst of the journey, Noby's conviction about something he had always denied began to grow. "You know, Kael, you're right."
Kael glanced at Noby, who was beside him. "About what?"
"About the pearl," Noby replied in a few words.
Kael sighed. "You realized it too late. Luckily, you're here with me."
"It's not too late because I can still make a request for a share. Without me, you wouldn't have been able to navigate through all those traps, Kael." Noby's mouth, which often curved into a warm smile, now became a tight line.
Kael widened his eyes, surprised by Noby's words. "What do you mean?"
Noby stared at Kael, his eyes narrowed with intense focus. "Listen, Kael, I'm like you; I have desires too. You know, the pearl grants wishes, right?!"
Kael nodded. "Then?"
"What if each of us gets our wishes, and one wish is our mutual agreement?" Noby suggested.
"What are your wishes?" Kael asked with a sense of curiosity.
Noby's eyes moved upwards as he thought. "Um ... I already have wishes, but for our wish, let's discuss it when we find the pearl. How about that?"
Kael didn't immediately respond, processing Noby's words. He replied with a quick, "No problem."
The atmosphere felt changed. Tension hung between them as they moved forward. They remained silent, as if something had sealed their mouths shut. Every movement echoed the growing distance between them. An unspoken rift widened with each passing moment.
The landscape matched their unease. Jagged rocks and narrow underwater paths lay ahead. Despite the heavy silence, they understood they had to keep going. The destination ahead promised answers they couldn't ignore. As they reached the rocky clearing, tension peaked. A silent storm loomed above, ready to unleash its fury.
"What place is this? Why is there nothing here?" Quash asked, witnessing the scene in front of him.
Fin rolled his eyes. "Don't talk too much, Quash; let's see."
Melody and her friends looked around. They shifted their eyes between Kael and Noby. The rocky place resembled a cavernous sack, devoid of any visible pathways. A stark absence of life surrounded them, except for a few eerie sea plants swaying in the water. Unlike the previous room, there were no skeletal remains of fish littering the place. Uncertainty ate at them. They thought about their next move. The mystery of the underwater maze grew deeper with each moment. They knew they had to be careful. The secrets in these ancient depths were tricky and hard to find.
Noby broke the silence, saying, "It seems no one has reached this place before."
Kael puffed out his chest. "Yeah, that means we're the best."
"But it's strange; there's no ... " Noby narrowed his eyes and concentrated on the faint glow of the floor ahead of them. "What light is that? Is this another trap?"
"Or it's a path opener like before," Kael darted toward the glowing floor, leading the way ahead of Noby.
"You're always impatient," Noby sighed, then followed Kael.
As Kael and Noby approached the floor, they stopped. Kael furrowed his brow, observing the faint glow on the floor. "What should we do?"
"I don't know," said Noby.
"It seems like this floor layer is thinner than the others," Kael remarked as he tapped the floor with his snout.
The cave quaked without warning. A booming roar echoed as rocks tumbled into the water. Panic surged through Kael and Noby, as well as Pond. Fear held them tight as they prepared for the trials ahead. Their determination was the only light in the surrounding darkness.
"Take cover!" Pond exclaimed in panic. But he forgot that he couldn't move at will.
"Calm down, will you?! This is a depiction of the past and can't harm us," Fin tried to reassure Pond.
Pond wiped his forehead. "Phew, I thought we were going to die."
"Silly, it shouldn't be us, but them," Quash glanced toward Kael and Noby.
Like Pond, the two fish sighed in relief once the tremors in the cave subsided. They exchanged glances before scanning their surroundings. It seemed they were on high alert for any potential threats at every moment. Yet, after a few moments passed without incident, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"It seems safe now," Kael said, shifting his gaze to the front. "Hey, look at that, Noby!"
"Yeah," answered Noby, who had realized it before Kael. His eyes widened in amazement, and he didn't blink. He felt astonished and couldn't believe what he saw in front of them. "Unbelievable."
Nestled within the iridescent folds of a shell lay a pearl of mesmerizing beauty. Its shiny surface sparkled with a magical red color. This glow lit up the dark room. The pearl had a magical charm. Its beauty drew everyone in, wrapping them in its spell. It seemed to pulsate with a subtle energy, as if imbued with a power beyond mortal comprehension. Its smooth surface reflected light, creating red and gold patterns that danced on the nearby walls. It was a priceless treasure. It showed nature's endless wonders. It also reminded us of the mysteries that still needed to be uncovered.