The world below was an abyss of luminous crystal formations, glowing flora, and drifting shadows. It should have been breathtaking, but Xin had no time for awe. His focus remained locked on the three shapes cutting through the water toward him—predators, swift and relentless.
Their sleek bodies undulated with unnerving speed, jagged teeth flashing in the bioluminescent glow. Gills flared as they weaved through the depths, their predatory instinct fixed on him. He could feel their presence pressing against his senses, the water itself thick with the weight of their intent.
Xin's grip tightened around his spear, its crystalline surface pulsing faintly in response to the ether flowing through him. He exhaled slowly, releasing tension even as his body primed for the fight.
Then they struck.
The first came from his left, jaws yawning wide. Xin didn't hesitate. He twisted mid-water, bringing his spear up in a swift, defensive sweep. The creature veered at the last second, its instincts razor-sharp. Its momentum carried it past him, but not without cost—Xin's spear grazed its side, sending a thin ribbon of dark blood curling into the water.
A sudden disturbance below.
The second predator shot up like a spear launched from the abyss, aiming for his midsection. Xin reacted instantly. He surged sideways, twisting his torso to evade the snap of its teeth. His spear followed through in a fluid strike, but the beast was already recoiling, learning, adapting.
A third presence—behind.
Xin had only a heartbeat to respond. He didn't turn; instead, he thrust his spear backward, ether igniting along the shaft in a pulsing surge. Resistance. A wet, bone-crunching impact. The creature's momentum carried it forward, its thick skull slamming into Xin's back even as his weapon found its mark.
Pain flared, but Xin refused to yield. He kicked off the beast's writhing form, using its bulk to propel himself higher. The water churned with dark tendrils of blood as the predator convulsed, impaled through the gills.
Two left.
The first attacker, the one that had dodged him, was circling, waiting for its moment. The second, wounded but alive, came at him again—only this time, it didn't come alone.
Both charged in tandem.
Xin met them head-on.
Ether coursed through his limbs as he burst forward, closing the distance instead of retreating. His spear snapped out in a blur, but the predators had learned. They twisted mid-charge, splitting apart to flank him.
Xin didn't falter.
He spun in the water, shifting his grip. As the first beast lunged, he redirected his energy downward, accelerating his descent. The creature shot past, missing him by inches. But Xin wasn't running—he was setting the stage.
The moment his feet scraped the lakebed, he kicked off with explosive force, driving upward in an arc toward the second attacker. It had no time to react.
His spear struck true, piercing through its lower jaw and out the top of its skull. The beast convulsed, its body going rigid before falling limp.
One left.
Xin wrenched his weapon free just in time. The last predator had been watching, calculating. Now, it moved—faster than before, a streak of muscle and hunger cutting through the water toward him.
Xin had no time to dodge.
So he didn't.
Instead, he met it head-on.
At the last possible moment, he thrust his spear forward, not aiming for the head, but the open maw itself. The crystal tip plunged past jagged teeth, straight into the beast's gullet.
The creature's own speed became its downfall. Its charge forced it onto the spear's length, impaling itself deeper as ether erupted from the weapon. The predator convulsed, its body locking in a final, shuddering death throe.
Then—it went still.
Xin exhaled, releasing the tension coiled in his muscles. He pushed the lifeless form away, watching as it sank into the abyss below.
The water around him settled, the battle's fury fading into silence.
Xin's chest heaved as he floated in the murky water, the crystalline spear glowing faintly in his grip. The three creatures were dead, their lifeless bodies drifting slowly into the abyss below, but the battle had left him battered and bleeding.
But there was no time to rest.
The massive shadow in the depths still loomed, its presence pressing against his mind like a weight. It wasn't just watching—it was waiting. And Xin knew, deep in his gut, that this was only the beginning. The shadow was vast, its form indistinct but undeniably alive, a primordial force that seemed to pulse with a malevolent intelligence. It was ancient, older than the lake itself, and it had been waiting for him. For this moment.
A low, resonant hum vibrated through the water, sending ripples across his skin. The sound was alien, almost melodic, but it carried an undercurrent of menace. Xin's grip tightened on his spear as he scanned the darkness below. The hum grew louder, more insistent, as if the shadow were calling to him, taunting him. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears like a drum.
Something else was coming.
The first sign was a flicker of movement—a glint of bioluminescent light in the abyss. Then another. And another.
Xin's heart sank.
The creatures he had just fought were nothing compared to what was rising from the depths. These were larger, their bodies more grotesque, their movements more deliberate. Their elongated heads were crowned with jagged, bony crests, and their eyes glowed with a cold, predatory intelligence. They moved with a purpose, their forms cutting through the water with terrifying speed. Their scales shimmered faintly in the dim light, reflecting the eerie glow of Xin's spear.
They were hunting him.
Xin exhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus. His body ached, his ether reserves were dwindling, but he couldn't afford to falter. If he did, he'd never make it back to the surface—and Belial and Raven would be lost. He thought of them, waiting for him above, trusting him to return. He couldn't let them down. Not now. Not ever.
The first of the new creatures shot toward him, its massive jaws parting to reveal rows of serrated teeth. Xin twisted his body, channeling ether into his legs to propel himself out of the way. The beast shot past him, its momentum carrying it several meters before it turned, its glowing eyes locking onto him once more. Its gills flared as it let out a low, guttural growl, the sound reverberating through the water like a warning.
Before Xin could catch his breath, the second creature struck.
It came from below, its body coiling like a spring before it launched itself upward. Xin barely had time to react. He swung his spear in a wide arc, the crystalline tip slicing through the water with a trail of light. The blade connected with the creature's jaw, shearing off a chunk of its bony crest. The beast recoiled, its gills flaring as it let out a guttural screech that reverberated through the water. Xin didn't wait for it to recover. He drove his spear forward, aiming for its eye, but the creature twisted at the last second, and the blade only grazed its flank.
The third creature chose that moment to attack.
It came from behind, its massive tail whipping through the water with enough force to create a shockwave. Xin felt the pressure before he saw the attack, and he barely managed to dive downward, the tail missing him by inches. The force of the blow sent him spinning, and he struggled to right himself as the creatures closed in.
He was surrounded.
Xin's mind raced. He couldn't fight all three at once—not like this. He needed to even the odds.
With a surge of ether, he propelled himself toward the lakebed, where jagged crystalline formations jutted out like spears. The creatures followed, their movements swift and relentless. Xin's lungs burned as he pushed himself harder, his body screaming in protest. The water seemed to grow thicker, heavier, as if the lake itself were conspiring against him. But he couldn't stop. Not now.
He reached the lakebed just as the first creature caught up to him.
Xin twisted his body, using the momentum to swing his spear in a wide arc. The blade connected with the creature's side, slicing through its thick hide and sending a cloud of dark blood into the water. The beast let out a guttural roar, its body thrashing as it tried to shake off the pain.
But Xin wasn't done.
He drove his spear into the creature's side again, this time aiming for its gills. The blade pierced through the soft tissue, and the beast convulsed violently before going still.
One down.
The second creature lunged at him from above, its jaws wide open. Xin braced himself, planting his feet on the lakebed as he raised his spear. The beast's momentum carried it straight onto the blade, the crystalline tip piercing through its skull.
But the creature wasn't dead yet.
Its body thrashed wildly, its tail slamming into Xin and sending him flying backward. He hit the lakebed hard, the impact driving the air from his lungs. Pain exploded through his body, but he forced himself to move, rolling to the side just as the creature's massive jaws snapped shut where he had been lying.
Xin scrambled to his feet, his spear still lodged in the creature's skull. He yanked it free with a grunt, the blade slick with blood and ichor. The beast let out a final, gurgling roar before its body went limp and sank into the abyss.
Two down.
The third creature was the largest of the three, its body covered in thick, armored scales. It circled Xin slowly, its glowing eyes locked onto him with an almost calculating gaze. It was smarter than the others, more patient. It knew Xin was weakened, and it was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Xin's body was on the verge of collapse. His ribs felt like they were on fire, his muscles screamed with every movement, and his ether reserves were nearly depleted. But he couldn't give up. Not now.
The creature lunged.
Xin met it head-on, his spear flashing in a deadly arc. The blade struck the creature's armored hide, but it barely left a scratch. The beast's tail whipped around, slamming into Xin and sending him crashing into a crystalline formation.
Pain exploded through his back as the jagged edges of the crystal cut into his skin. Xin gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. His vision blurred, but he refused to fall.
The creature charged again, its jaws wide open.
This time, Xin didn't try to dodge.
He waited until the last possible second, then drove his spear upward with all the strength he had left. The blade pierced through the creature's lower jaw, driving upward into its brain.
The beast let out a deafening roar, its body thrashing violently as it tried to shake free. But Xin held on, his grip tightening on the spear as he channeled the last of his ether into the blow.
The creature's movements slowed, its body twitching as the life drained from it. Finally, it went still, its massive form sinking into the abyss.
Xin floated there for a moment, his body trembling with exhaustion. The water around him was thick with blood and ichor, the corpses of the creatures drifting slowly into the darkness. His spear's glow dimmed, the crystalline blade flickering faintly as if mirroring his own fading strength. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the cold, jagged surface of the lakebed, grounding himself in the reality of his surroundings.
The massive shadow in the depths was still there, watching. Waiting.
But there was something else glinting in the distance.