Holding his mouth closed and trying to remain calm at all costs, Puck felt Zephyrian’s efforts to send him calming thoughts and impressions intensify.Looking around at the crashing currents that tore at his limbs and clothes, Puck reminded himself of his tasks. He was only to keep his limbs out of Scarlet’s path and hold his breath until they reached their destination.Feeling impacts on his drifting feet, Puck hurriedly pulled them closer to his torso so as not to hinder Scarlet’s swimming movements.Feeling the power with which Scarlet’s body fought against the current, Puck couldn’t help but marvel again. Even when infused with Zephyrian’s power, he was nowhere close to her physical prowess.
Feeling the first urges for air rise up in his body, Puck pushed them away with everything he had. Closing his eyes and meditating, Puck used every shred of his willpower to fight against the terror and helplessness that threatened to overwhelm him.Starting a mental conversation with Zephyrian, Puck tried to pull himself as far from the physical plane as possible. He asked, “Do you think we’ll make it?”Receiving a low chuckle in response, Puck was showered in the sword’s absolute, irrational confidence—or was it just bluster to help him?Bluster or not, it truly helped, and finally, Puck heard the signal from Zephyrian over the mind link, as the sword had been keeping track of the time.Trying to ignore the irrational urge to breathe, Puck focused on the energy that Zephyrian channeled into his lungs and body, attempting to help shape it in the way they needed.He didn’t need strength—strengthening his muscles in this situation would be nothing short of suicide, as they would require much more oxygen to function.
Instead, he needed to reduce his dependency on air, either giving his lungs what they needed or simply stopping them from asking for more.It was a tough battle, but for a while, the desire for air actually lessened rather than increased, as a great current of energy flowed from Zephyrian through Puck’s soul and into his body.Finally, though, even that wasn’t enough anymore. Puck felt himself slipping into madness, asking Zephyrian again and again how much longer it would be until they resurfaced, each time feeling as if it were an unreachable distance.When Puck finally felt he couldn’t take it anymore, another influence made itself known. It wasn’t the overwhelming power of Zephyrian—no, it was like a soft rustle, flowing through his body and granting him a tiny fraction of relief.It was the particles that Brock had been reduced to, now giving Puck a helping hand. More important than the physical effect, it gave Puck hope.
Feeling his last rational thoughts slip away, Puck began to thrash within his pack. Nothing remained of his consciousness but the sheer will not to breathe.And then they were there—finally.With a lunge and deep, gasping breaths, Scarlet heaved the two of them out of the water together as Puck began to gasp erratically.They had made it.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
----------------------------------------
Tumbling through the rowdy cavern, Thurrock chanted the skewed songs along with the rest of the crowd as he held his beer high, reveling in the moment.
“We’re off to the tavern,a place we love to gather.Everyone to the cask,together it’s a blast!”
Feeling himself bump into something solid and unyielding, he looked up to find a rough face glaring down at him. Patting the cheek of the jiggling face, Thurrock chuckled to himself and tried to stagger on.
“Among the lovely maidens fair,dressed scantily with flair,”
A rough hand with unforgiving claws landed on Thurrock’s shoulder, pulling him back around to face the scowling face once again.Laughing, Thurrock reached forward to steady himself, barely able to keep from collapsing as everything wobbled around him.Some of his drink splashed onto the man, and Thurrock tried to wish it away as best he could. He was nice like that.
“With song and booze,yeah, we feel right...”
WABOOM.With a sudden heavy impact, Thurrock was thrown back, rolling across the ground while both laughing and cursing.His chest hurt a little, but the heavy bone plating of his race had made the impact easy to withstand.Angry voices shouted at him as he struggled to his feet, and the singing had stopped. With some effort, he managed to get up again, only to be grabbed once more by the gruff man.
“It’s time for you to leave today. Come back tomorrow if you still have money!”
Allowing himself to be dragged along, Thurrock had the distinct feeling that this exact scene had played out many times in the past.Then he was out of the cavern, and the door shut behind him with a loud bang as everything grew much darker, with only the faint light spilling from the cavern windows.Looking around through blurred vision, Thurrock could barely make out a few other crumbling structures around him. Where was he supposed to go again?
Pushing himself up from where he had been thrown, Thurrock tried to continue singing on his own.
“Hey, you folks from the field,have you still some coin to yield?Let’s not end in a fight,we could drink a bit more tonight.”
Staggering down the empty street, Thurrock finally reached a dark tunnel where he couldn’t even see his hand before his face. Looking back one last time, he saw only a few glimmering lights in the darkness of the underground, spilling from the windows of the shady cavern.Tomorrow morning would be horrible when the headache hit, but it was not yet morning, and he didn’t need any company to enjoy the time.Singing to himself, Thurrock leaned against a wall in the darkness and dozed off, finally claimed by sleep.