Struggling for air, Sky held fast to Eve as the relentless river torrents tossed their bodies. Flung around in a whirlpool of freezing water, he clawed through the currents, the icy grip of the river pulling at him. It didn’t help that he was already out of his depth, but now he had someone to protect.

He couldn’t see through the murky water. The underwater alien world blurred into darkness, leaving only the silhouette of Eve, who had succumbed to unconsciousness. Desperation surged through him as he pulled her body closer, the torrents growing more violent. Sky couldn't swim, but he focused on orienting himself, twisting his body to fight against the pull of the current. Eve's body was alive but limp, and he clung to her, unwilling to let go.

He surfaced now and then, gasping for air. If he could just hold on a little longer, perhaps the river would eventually calm, and reaching the shore would become possible. The waters, though, were unforgiving. He felt his body numbing, his knuckles turning pale as the cold seeped into his bones. The moonlight illuminated the river, casting an eerie glow over the forest that lined the banks. He dared to look back at Elysian, but it had long vanished from view, swallowed by the dark. Panic gripped him as he felt his grip slipping on Eve. Exhausted and breathing erratically, he called out to her, hoping to rouse her from her unconscious state, but there was no response. Just then, as they were both dragged underwater, he glimpsed a shape—a massive boulder with razor-sharp edges loomed ahead, threatening to tear them apart. At the speed they were rushing, losing an arm was a real possibility if he didn’t act.

He waited until the last possible moment before releasing her, focusing solely on her safety as they shot past the deadly rocks. For a heartbeat, he lost sight of her, panic rising in his chest. He waved his arms, desperately trying to push against the current, but she was now further away. He was disoriented, fighting solely for survival.

He gasped for air. The oppressive cold waters closed in around him, and Eve slipped from his grasp entirely. In that moment, despair threatened to overwhelm him.

“Eve! Where are you?!” he cried out, his voice swallowed by the chaos of the water. Each desperate call sent a ringing pain through his ears, threatening to choke him with nausea. If he was going to find her, he would have to venture even deeper into the cold abyss. He slammed against the rocks, cuts and bruises forming as he fought against the relentless current, the metallic scent of his own blood mingling with the frigid water. Just as he braced himself against the onslaught, the stream shoved him toward another boulder, the impact jolting him in the head. He spun in a daze, losing focus as the sounds around him were muffled by a high-pitched whistle echoing in his mind.

A sudden unnatural chill froze the water around him. Sky shivered as he felt a weight bearing down, a presence lurking just beyond his perception. Echoing through the depths, a soft, mocking laughter danced on the current, sending shivers down his spine. It was a sound that seemed to mock his plight, resonating with the very core of his being. Without warning, the world around him shifted. Whenever he gasped for air, the vibrant forests that had once surrounded him faded into a barren wasteland of black and gray. High above, thunderous clouds, monstrous cries screeching from within choked the night sky. It was as if he could hear the screams of a thousand tormented souls, all crying for help.

On the ledges he desperately tried to reach, he saw figures standing still, their details obscured, mere silhouettes against the bleak backdrop. At first, he thought it might be Gabriel’s knights finally closing in on him. A wave of surrender washed over him; everything was unraveling, and he no longer had the strength to fight back.

“Help me!” he shouted, but the figures remained motionless, ominously staring at him with eyes that held no pity—only a deep, haunting lamentation, urging him onward. As he strained to see, the shapes blurred in and out of existence, flickering like candles in the wind. Among them towered a dark-robed figure he recognized from his past, a familiar presence that loomed over the rest. Its only discernible feature was a gold and blue mask with hollowed-out eyes, piercing through the shadows. The Eldritch Pharaoh. A sudden rush of déjà vu washed over him; he had seen these figures before. His strength faded, limbs growing heavy as the despair enveloped him. Closing his eyes, he surrendered to the currents, allowing the stream to carry him away.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It must have felt like hours before he opened his eyes again, still awake in the water. To his surprise, he wasn’t moving. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his bag’s weavings had latched him onto a rock. Relief washed over him momentarily. As he looked around, the alien landscapes from his visions had vanished; the familiar forest surroundings had returned. He checked his arms, chest, and head for wounds, noting several gashes on his skin. His body ached from hitting the rocks, bruised and dazed, but he was alive.

Looking further down, he spotted Eve. Relief flooded through him as he saw her body floating just above the water, her backpack caught on a rock several meters ahead. She was still unconscious, but he had finally caught up to her. Desperate, he tried calling out, but his weakened voice couldn’t reach her. Frantically, he scanned his surroundings for a stick, a rock—anything to get her attention. Then he heard it: a deep rumble from beneath him, echoing through the water.

Looking upstream, he realized the current had changed. There was no stream anymore as far as he could see, only the ominous sound of water cascading ahead. His heart raced as he caught sight of a cavernous waterfall, the drop looming over several hundred meters.

Sky turned back to Eve, panic gripping him as he noticed her bag slipping from the rock. His heart pounded in his chest, knowing he was still stuck. With a surge of determination, he pulled himself closer to the rock and carefully freed himself, knowing that once he let go, he’d have only one chance to reach her and head for the nearest shore. Replenishing his resolve, he steadied himself, finding the right angle to launch into the water. He couldn't swim, but he could use the currents to help propel him. It wasn’t the best plan, but it was all he could think of.

Eve’s bag was on the verge of slipping away when Sky launched himself from the rock. He angled his body to compensate for the movement of the stream, breathing in quick bursts as he stretched his hands forward. His focus remained locked on her, the urgency of the moment driving him as he occasionally submerged, only ever for a fleeting instant. Eve’s body slipped from the bag that held her, teetering on the brink of falling into the abyss. With a desperate lunge, Sky reached out and snatched her just in time, his fingers grasping her wrist. With his other hand, he clung to the jagged rocks, his grip tightening as he fought against the raging current.

He screamed harder than he ever had before, the sound of his voice mingling with the roar of the stream as it pushed him one way while he struggled to pull himself in the opposite direction, desperate to reach the shore. He felt as if his arm might rip from its socket. Held together by sheer will, he summoned every ounce of strength he had to pull Eve closer, the stream finally relenting its grip as he maneuvered behind the rock, bracing his back against it.

His hands shook uncontrollably, heart racing with relief as a smile broke through his panic. “I got you! I got you!” he cried, holding her tightly in his arms. As if guided by divine intervention, the moonlight broke through the clouds, illuminating the wet sands of the shore nearby—a place where they could finally catch their breath. With Eve cradled in his arms, he angled them toward the shore. The current felt less threatening now, and he glided forward, finally landing on the wet sands, coming to rest.

“Eve? Eve?” Sky called out, dragging her from the water. Panic surged through him as he checked for a pulse, a heartbeat, anything. He gently lifted her hair, searching for signs of life. Pressing his ear close to her chest, he listened intently. A distorted, almost cut off breath escaped her lips, like a whisper caught in the wind.

With determination, he placed both hands on her chest and pushed down hard and fast, repeating the motions until something stirred within her. As he pressed down on Eve’s chest, memories of his own revival flooded back, vivid and poignant. Sky recalled the rhythm of those movements—steady, deliberate, infused with a raw desperation that echoed in his own heart now.

He couldn’t let her slip away.

She wasn't going to die here.

He'd make sure of it.