The water around them grew colder with every descent, its pressure pressing down on their bodies as they followed the Sentinels deeper into the abyss. Strange currents swirled around them, pulling at their limbs in irregular patterns.
Skarath glanced sideways at Aria. “Is it just me, or are we actually talking down here?”
Aria gave a short nod, her voice echoing slightly. “It’s the Breathstones. They’re not just keeping us breathing—they’re amplifying sound. But it feels… unsteady.”
Morrigan’s voice cut through, slightly distorted. “Feels like my words are being stretched.”
“As long as they hear me when I need to, I’m fine.” Leira added.
The Sentinels ahead of them glided smoothly through the water, their long, graceful limbs moving effortlessly. The lead Sentinel turned briefly, his voice steady despite the watery surroundings. “The deeper we go, the more unpredictable the currents will become. Stay close.”
The dark waters seemed to pulse with energy as they ventured further down. Shadows danced along the edges of their vision, and the light Elyndra cast from her hands flickered slightly as though it was struggling against the pull of the abyss. She frowned, concentrating as she tried to maintain the brightness.
“The light’s weaker here. There’s something… it’s like the water is pushing back against it.”
Aria narrowed her eyes, scanning the depths below. “Whatever’s down there, it’s strong. We need to be ready.”
Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught Skarath’s eye. A group of Lumorii—glowing, translucent creatures—swam past them, their bodies pulsing gently with bioluminescence. They circled the group briefly, as though curious about the newcomers, before darting off into the darkness.
“They seem... off,” Morrigan observed, watching as the Lumorii vanished into the deep. "Like they’re nervous."
"They''re harmless," Kaliren explained. "They guide us sometimes, but lately they''ve been erratic, drawn to the corruption like moths to flame."
The water grew darker as they descended further, and soon, the only light came from Elyndra’s magic and the faint glow of the Breathstones. They passed a formation of jagged rocks, covered in dark moss, and the temperature dropped further.
The lead Sentinel suddenly halted, raising a hand. "We''re nearing the source."
Ahead of them, the water rippled unnaturally, and the shadows seemed to twist and pulse as if alive. As they moved closer, they saw it. A vast, organic structure, growing out of the rock like some ancient being. It pulsed with dark energy, its surface covered in twisting, root-like tendrils that extended out into the water, corrupting everything they touched.
Skarath’s eyes narrowed. “What… is that?”
Kaliren’s voice was grim. “We don’t know. It appeared only after the corruption began. Whatever it is, it’s sentient, and it’s growing.”
Leira took a deep breath, glancing at Aria. “The flames feel strange here, but I can still burn through it.”
Aria nodded, her expression focused. “Be ready. This thing won’t let us approach without a fight.”
As if on cue, the water thickened and began to churn violently around them, signaling their approach to the heart of the corruption. From the abyss, the Vor''karis emerged—sleek, deadly creatures whose black, camouflaged skin blended seamlessly into the surrounding darkness. Their glowing eyes locked onto the intruders, watching with predatory focus. In a swift, coordinated motion, they moved like shadows through the water, their forms almost impossible to discern.
“Defensive positions!” Aria barked, her voice carrying through the water as her team shifted into action.
With a sudden burst of speed, the first Vor''karis lunged at the group, sharp teeth gleaming in the faint light, ready to strike.
Aria barely had time to react, her reflexes honed as she raised her blade to deflect the creature’s attack. But even under the best conditions, fighting underwater was an entirely different beast. Her movements were slower, the resistance of the water pulling against her swings. She gritted her teeth, the force of her counterattack enough to push the Vor''karis back, but not to wound it.
“They’re too fast!” Morrigan called out from the side, narrowly dodging another Vor''karis that appeared from the shadows. He slipped into the darkness, his body blending into the abyss, but even his agility was challenged by the currents swirling around them.
Skarath growled low, using his halberd to parry a strike from one of the creatures. “We need to take them down quickly, or they’ll wear us out!”
The Tidal Sentinels acted swiftly, their expertise in underwater combat immediately evident. The lead Sentinel, his trident glowing with ancient runes, thrust it forward, and a burst of energy shot from the tips, creating a ripple through the water.
The impact slammed into the Vor''karis, sending it spiraling backward through the water, but the creature twisted mid-motion, regaining its balance with a predatory grace. Its body shuddered, absorbing the blow, but it surged forward again, unrelenting.
“They’re resistant to magic!” the lead Sentinel shouted. “Focus on physical attacks where possible!”
He moved with precision, his trident spinning in graceful arcs. With a single swift motion, he struck another Vor''karis, pinning it against the rocky wall. But the creature thrashed violently, knocking him back, the force of the impact sending him careening into one of the nearby rocks. He gritted his teeth, struggling to regain control as blood from a shallow wound drifted into the water.
The female Sentinel, her tentacles moving swiftly, darted to his side, using one of them to gently brace him, her movements respectful yet decisive. “Nerion,” she said softly, her voice filled with concern as she helped him regain his stance, “I’ll cover you.”
Kaliren surged forward with his own trident, striking at another Vor''karis to keep the creatures at bay. “We can’t afford to be overwhelmed here!”
Aria gripped her blade tighter, scanning the churning water around her. The pressure of the abyss was starting to wear on her muscles, each movement slower, more deliberate. She sidestepped another Vor''karis lunge, feeling the creature''s jaws snap just inches from her arm. "Leira, now!"
Leira didn''t hesitate. Blue flames sparked from her hands, different, fiercer than above water. They crackled against the Vor''karis that had closed in on Aria, forcing it to retreat, momentarily blinded. "It''s weaker!" she called out, but her voice carried tension. “The fire… it’s unstable here. It’s like the water’s fighting back.”
Nerion, the lead Sentinel, raised his trident again. His eyes never left the Vor''karis circling him and his team. He was fast, but so were the creatures. He adjusted his stance, thrusting forward once more. A direct hit. The creature screeched, its body convulsing, but its resistance to the magic was clear. The attack barely left a mark. "Stick to the plan," he ordered. "Keep them off balance. They''re not invincible."
Kaliren was already in motion. His trident moved like an extension of his body, a blur of precise strikes aimed at another Vor''karis that lunged toward Elyndra. The glow from his weapon intensified as he connected, sending the beast reeling back, but not without retaliation. The Vor''karis lashed out, its tail catching Kaliren across the chest. He grunted, the force pushing him backward, but he didn''t lose his grip. "We’re running out of time," he said, voice tight with strain.
Skarath, using his halberd to deflect a sudden strike, was breathing heavily now. Fighting underwater wasn’t just a battle of strength; it was a test of endurance. "These things are learning. They''re watching us. We need to end this quickly."
The Vor''karis weren’t just fast—they were strategic. Each movement felt calculated. Aria could see it in the way they circled, waiting for an opening. One wrong move, and the creatures would capitalize on it. She tightened her grip, pushing forward with calculated aggression. The water pushed back, heavy and sluggish, but she wouldn’t let it stop her. Her blade found its target, cutting into the flank of one of the Vor''karis. The beast howled, but its momentum barely faltered.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Aria, watch out!” Morrigan’s voice rang out, his form appearing from the darkness like a wraith. His daggers flashed as he intercepted a second Vor''karis coming up behind her. The creature snarled as his blades bit into its side, and Morrigan quickly twisted away before it could strike back. “They’re not letting up!”
The female Sentinel, tentacles flaring wide to create distance, swept through the water with remarkable speed. One of her limbs lashed out, catching a Vor''karis by its throat, pulling it toward her. With a quick, fluid motion, she wrapped another tentacle around its jaw, pinning it in place long enough for Nerion to drive his trident through its chest. The creature''s body convulsed, twitching violently before falling limp.
“They''re weakening!” Nerion called out, but his tone held no celebration. He could feel the exhaustion settling in. "Stay together. They won’t go down easily."
Another surge of movement in the water—a third Vor''karis, larger than the others, charged at Skarath. He braced himself, halberd held firm, but the creature’s impact was like a tidal wave. The force knocked him back, slamming him against the rocks. The breath was driven from his lungs as he struggled to find his footing. His scales shimmered in the darkness as he gripped his weapon tighter. "This one''s bigger," he grunted, forcing himself back up, "and smarter."
Aria’s mind raced. The Vor''karis were relentless, but the real threat still lurked deeper, in that pulsating, organic structure. She could feel it. The closer they got, the more suffocating the water became. It was as if the corruption itself was trying to pull them down, trying to drain their strength. "We need to reach the source," she said sharply, her eyes locking with Kaliren. "If we take down whatever''s feeding them, they''ll fall."
Kaliren nodded, though his gaze remained focused on the creature before him. "Nerion, lead the way. The rest of us will hold them off."
Nerion didn’t hesitate. “On me,” he ordered his Sentinels, and they surged forward, slipping through the currents with a grace and efficiency that Aria envied.
Aria, Skarath, Leira, and Morrigan braced for another wave of attacks. Elyndra’s light flickered dangerously low, but she held her focus, her shields barely holding. "I can’t keep this up forever,” she warned, her face pale from exertion.
“I’ll cover you,” Leira said, stepping beside her, ready to unleash another burst of blue flames. The fire spun in elegant arcs, slicing through the water like molten blades. “We’ll give them a fight they won’t forget.”
The Vor''karis moved as one, their movements synchronized, closing in from all sides. For a moment, it was all a blur—flashes of steel, bursts of fire, and the heavy, crushing weight of the water pressing in on them from all directions. Every strike felt like it took twice the effort. Every parry was met with resistance.
Morrigan slipped through the shadows again, reappearing just behind one of the Vor''karis, his daggers striking true. He twisted away before the creature could retaliate, his voice a steady calm amidst the chaos. "We’ve got them. Just keep moving."
Aria felt the burn in her muscles, but she pushed through, slashing her way through the water toward the next threat. "We can''t let them pin us down. Skarath, on your right!"
Skarath swung his halberd in a wide arc, catching the creature Aria had warned him about just in time. It snarled, wounded but not down, its black eyes gleaming with malice.
“They don’t stop!” he growled, deflecting another strike.
“Neither do we,” Aria replied, her voice firm.
Kaliren, his trident glowing once more, unleashed a final, powerful strike, the energy rippling through the water and crashing into the remaining Vor''karis. The creatures shrieked, their bodies convulsing as they finally began to weaken. “Now!” he shouted. “Push forward!”
With one final coordinated attack, the team drove back the Vor''karis, their forms dissolving into the darkness of the abyss.
But Aria knew this wasn’t over. Not yet.
“We’re not done yet,” she muttered, her voice barely carrying through the water. Her body ached from the battle, the cold seeping into her muscles, but she couldn’t afford to rest.
Kaliren moved beside her, blood still drifting from a shallow wound on his chest. His eyes were hard, his focus unwavering. “This corruption… it''s stronger than we anticipated. My Sentinels alone wouldn’t have been enough.” His admission was gruff but honest, the pride of his people tempered by the grim reality.
Nerion, the lead Sentinel, swam forward, his trident still glowing faintly from the previous strikes. “We’ll hold the perimeter. Whatever that thing is,” he motioned toward the pulsating structure, “it’s feeding off the water itself. It’s affecting everything around it.”
Aria nodded, her mind racing through their options. She could feel the pressure building, not just from the water but from the raw energy pulsing around them. Her powers connected her to the elements, and even here, in the depths, she could feel the air trapped within the water molecules, a small but crucial link.
“We need to disrupt the source,” Aria said, turning to Elyndra. “Your light’s the only thing that’s keeping us from being overwhelmed by whatever this is.”
Elyndra’s face was pale, sweat mixing with the cold water that surrounded them, but she nodded. “I can focus my energy, but I’ll need time to channel it properly.”
Aria glanced at Leira, who was still nursing her wound from earlier. “Leira, you’ll need to keep that thing distracted while Elyndra prepares.”
Leira winced but gave a resolute nod. “I can do that.” Her flames flickered to life again, the blue hue casting ghostly shadows through the water. “The fire won’t last long, though. It’s fighting me every step of the way.”
“We don’t need long,” Aria replied, a determined edge in her voice. She turned to Skarath. “I’ll need you and Morrigan to flank the structure. Cut off any defenses it throws our way.”
Skarath gripped his halberd tighter, his gaze locking with hers. “Understood.” His voice was low, steady, though his body was clearly exhausted from the earlier skirmish.
Morrigan, slipping between shadows with practiced ease, nodded. “We’ll be in and out before it even knows we’re there.”
Aria took a breath, focusing inward. Her power over air was limited here, deep beneath the water, but she knew the key lay in manipulating the currents around them. The water was heavy, yes, but it was still a mixture of air and liquid. She could work with that. As Elyndra began to focus her light, Aria raised her hands, feeling the flow of the water, sensing the currents she could control.
“I can shift the water around us,” she said, her voice calm but strained. “Create pockets of air where the pressure isn’t as strong. It’ll give us an edge, but it’ll take focus.”
Kaliren, though skeptical, nodded. He knew when to trust the arcanists, even if the magic didn’t align with the power of the Aquorians. “Do it,” he said, gripping his trident. “We’ll hold the line while you work.”
With a steadying breath, Aria reached out with her magic. She could feel the air trapped within the water molecules, small and fragile, but there. She began to separate them, pushing the water aside, creating small pockets of breathable air that shifted with them as they moved. The pressure lightened, the water feeling less oppressive, though the effort took everything she had.
Leira stepped forward, flames igniting in her palms. She directed the blue fire toward the pulsating structure, the heat so intense it evaporated the surrounding water, creating bursts of steam. The creature inside the structure reacted, the tendrils pulling back as if recoiling from the flame, but it wasn’t enough to stop it.
“We need more!” Leira shouted, the strain clear in her voice. Her fire flared again, but the water fought her. The corruption seemed to pull the heat away, weakening her magic.
Behind them, Elyndra was glowing brighter, her body radiating light as she poured all her energy into creating a focused beam. “Almost ready,” she muttered through clenched teeth.
Just then, the structure pulsed violently, sending shockwaves through the water. The Vor''karis hadn’t been the only guardians. Dark, amorphous shapes began to emerge from the shadows, creatures that looked like living shadows, their forms ever-shifting, and their eyes glowing with the same dark energy as the structure.
“Here they come!” Skarath shouted, positioning himself in front of Elyndra. His halberd cut through the water, meeting the first creature head-on. The impact jarred his arms, but he didn’t falter.
Morrigan, moving like a blur, darted between the shadows, striking at weak points and retreating before the creatures could retaliate. “They’re like the water itself,” he muttered, barely audible. “They bend with it.”
Kaliren, leading his Sentinels, charged forward. “We keep them back!” His trident struck one of the shadow creatures, and for a moment, the water seemed to ripple around it, as if rejecting the corruption. His Sentinels followed, moving with fluid precision, their tridents glowing faintly in the darkness.
But the creatures kept coming.
“They’re too many!” Leira yelled, her flames flickering as she fought off another attack.
Aria gritted her teeth, focusing harder on controlling the currents around them. “Elyndra, now!”
With a shout of pure effort, Elyndra released her light. A brilliant beam shot forward, cutting through the water and striking the heart of the pulsating structure. The darkness around them recoiled, the shadow creatures faltering for the first time.
The structure screamed—a high-pitched, guttural sound that reverberated through the water. The tendrils lashed out violently, but Aria was ready. Using the air she’d separated, she forced it into a concentrated burst, creating a powerful current that swept the tendrils back, away from her team.
Kaliren and his Sentinels capitalized on the moment, driving their tridents into the weakened creatures, cutting through them like blades through silk.
But it wasn’t over.
The structure pulsed again, and the shadows surged forward, faster, more aggressive. The corruption was fighting back with everything it had left.
“We need to destroy it!” Skarath shouted, his voice rough from exhaustion. “This isn’t enough!”
Aria nodded, her mind racing. Elyndra’s light was holding it off, but they needed to deal a final blow. Her eyes darted to the structure, then back to her team. “Skarath, Morrigan, we’ll strike together. Leira, burn through the tendrils. Kaliren, hold the perimeter.”
Kaliren grunted in agreement. “You have seconds, no more.”
Aria surged forward, pushing through the water with every ounce of strength she had left. Skarath and Morrigan followed, their movements swift and coordinated. Leira’s fire flared, searing through the tendrils as they lashed out in desperation.
The structure pulsed one last time, and Aria, with a cry of defiance, drove her blade into its core. Skarath’s halberd followed, striking deep into the heart of the corruption, and Morrigan’s daggers flashed as they found their mark.
The abyss shook.
For a moment, everything was still.
Then, with a violent shudder, the structure began to collapse in on itself, the dark energy dissipating into the water, vanishing into the depths. The shadow creatures faltered, then dissolved, leaving nothing but silence.
Aria, breathless and battered, floated in the now-still water, her body aching from the effort. She glanced at her team, all of them equally exhausted but alive. Relief washed over her for just a moment.
Without warning, a blinding light flashed, and she was gone.