Elio approached the edge, gazing into the abyss that awaited them.
He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. His penguin, Ice Ball, chirped softly, as if offering encouragement.
"I trust each one of you. Together, we can do this."
Kriz, in another rare moment of seriousness, stepped forward. "And we trust you, Elio. To the end of the world... or well, to the bottom of the monster sea in this case."
Nervous laughter rippled through the group.
"Alright," Elio said. "It's time."
Without further words, Elio jumped. For a moment, he seemed suspended in the air, his figure silhouetted against the barrier. Then, he began to fall.
Zara and Lila were the first to follow him, launching themselves almost in unison, determined to stay close to their leader. The others followed quickly, without a moment's hesitation.
The adventure had barely begun.
♢♢♢♢