(Chapter 393)
Realizing they couldn't simply fight their way through the overwhelming number of guardians, Elara and Liam knew they needed a different approach. The colossal pulsating growth was the source of the darkness, and destroying it was their primary objective.
"Liam," Elara said urgently, her voice clear through the comms. "Can you create a large enough burst of light to disorient them? I need a window to get closer to that… thing."
Liam nodded, his resolve firm despite the desperate situation. He began to focus his inner energy, the golden light emanating from Dawnbreaker intensifying despite the oppressive darkness of the deep sea.
"Brace yourself!" he warned.
With a mighty roar, Liam unleashed a massive wave of pure golden light. It erupted outwards, pushing back the aquatic shadow figures and momentarily illuminating the vast cavern. The colossal pulsating growth pulsed erratically in the sudden brilliance.
Taking advantage of the disarray, Elara propelled herself forward, using the resistance of the water to gain momentum. Whisperwind was held tightly in her grasp, its silver surface gleaming faintly in Liam's light.
The aquatic creatures, momentarily blinded and disoriented, thrashed in the water. Some of their shadowy mounts bucked and reared, throwing their riders.
Elara reached the base of the colossal growth. Its surface was even more grotesque up close, a tapestry of pulsating black veins and sickly pale nodes. The cold emanating from it was almost unbearable, seeping through her enchanted diving suit.
She could feel the same faint thrumming she had sensed in the smaller growth, but amplified a hundredfold. This was the heart of the parasitic entity, the source of its life force.
As she prepared to strike, several of the larger aquatic creatures, having recovered quickly, lunged towards her, their black coral tridents aimed to impale.
"Elara!" Liam yelled, struggling to hold back the remaining guardians while trying to reach her.
Knowing she had only a fraction of a moment, Elara focused all her will and her connection to Whisperwind. The silver blade hummed with power, resonating with the ancient energy within her.
With a powerful thrust, she plunged Whisperwind deep into the base of the colossal growth, aiming for what she instinctively felt was its central nexus.
A catastrophic shriek echoed through the water, a sound that vibrated through their very bones. The colossal growth convulsed violently, its black veins spasming and rupturing. A wave of icy black energy erupted outwards, slamming into Elara and sending her tumbling backwards.
The cavern began to shake violently. Chunks of rock rained down from the ceiling, and the water churned with chaotic currents. The bioluminescent creatures flickered and died, plunging sections of the cavern into absolute darkness.
Liam, seeing Elara thrown back, fought his way towards her, his light cutting through the turbulent water.
The aquatic shadow figures, now clearly weakened and disoriented by the agony of their source, began to dissolve into wisps of cold, black smoke. Their shadowy mounts followed suit, fading into the darkness.
Reaching Elara, Liam pulled her close, shielding her with his own body as debris rained down around them.
The colossal growth continued to writhe and shriek, its pulsating slowing erratically. Cracks spread across its surface, and sections began to break away, dissolving into black dust that swirled in the water.
The intense cold in the cavern began to dissipate, replaced by a strange, almost neutral temperature. The oppressive darkness seemed to lift slightly, allowing Liam's light to penetrate further.
Finally, with a last shuddering convulsion, the colossal growth collapsed in on itself, imploding into a mass of inert black residue that settled on the cavern floor. The shriek that had echoed through the water ceased, replaced by an eerie silence.
The turbulent currents began to subside, and the falling debris slowed. The remaining bioluminescent creatures flickered back to life, casting a fragile light on the scene of destruction.
Elara, though shaken, was unharmed. She looked at the spot where the massive entity had been, now just a patch of black dust on the cavern floor.
"It's… gone," she whispered, the relief washing over her.
Liam held her tightly. "We did it. Again."
But the silence of the deep sea felt different now. It was no longer oppressive, but rather a quiet stillness, as if a great and ancient evil had been silenced.
They knew their escape from the crushing depths was now their priority. The destruction of the colossal growth might have destabilized the cavern.
As they signaled the surface vessel to begin their ascent, they couldn't shake the feeling that they had only scratched the surface of a much larger mystery. The origin of this deep-sea darkness remained unknown, a chilling question mark in the vast ocean depths.