Dheandita scanned her surroundings—villagers collapsed one by one, struck down by bolts of lightning.

Luna lay wounded, her black shirt torn from the shark-man's greatsword cleaving through it, while Alma desperately worked to heal her, tossing Luna’s jacket aside. Devita held the line, fending off both the shark-man and the nereid woman, buying precious time for Alma to complete her spell. Not far off, Drifter clashed with the crustacean warrior, whose blade spun in a vicious underwater cyclone, pulling Drifter inch by inch closer to the deadly edge of his weapon.

For a fleeting moment, Dheandita considered running—leaving them behind and saving herself.

But then, she bit her lip.

Her gaze swept over them—Devita, Luna, Alma, Drifter. Strangers who had risked their lives for her. Who fought, bled, and endured.

Would it be right to abandon them? To let them slip away into the darkness?

She drew a steadying breath, her fingers curling around the pearl pendant at her neck.

Her mother’s voice echoed softly in her mind, the ancient words of ocean magic.

With a trembling breath, she inhaled slowly, her eyes closing as she felt the flow of the ocean's energy within her. The anxiety slowly began to fade, though it lingered at the edges of her heart. Through the storm of doubt, she whispered, "Ocean’s Blessing!"

A radiant blue aura unfurled like waves at dawn, wrapping around Drifter, Luna, Alma, Devita—and herself.

Drifter immediately felt the change—he could breathe and his body suddenly lighter. He cast a quick glance toward Dheandita, her eyes bright with relief, and he smiled faintly.

In an instant, he materialized a dozen spectral swords, each one infused with the blessing’s power, and sent them hurtling toward the spinning crustacean warrior. The impact staggered the creature, halting his deadly vortex.

"What the… how?" the crustacean warrior stammered, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Without hesitation, Drifter summoned three glowing sigils around him, raising his left hand.

“Exalt Storm.”

Sigils unleashed a barrage of blue projectiles, raining down with relentless force. The crustacean warrior’s green natural barrier flared with each impact, flickering, holding—until it finally shattered. With a pained grunt, he collapsed.

As Drifter teleported near the fallen crustacean warrior, his Exaltare, dark gray sword poised for the finishing blow, a sudden volley of thunder projectiles surged from below.

Drifter swiftly evaded, parrying the incoming barrage with his sword while his spectral blades shifted into a defensive formation, intercepting the rest.

Meanwhile, the nereid woman moved in, her hands glowing as she traced a blue sigil in the water. A magic circle flared to life around the crustacean warrior, mending his wounds.

In an instant, the fallen crustacean warrior stirred, rising once more.

“Damn... Thanks, Niah,” the crustacean man muttered, his gaze briefly shifting to the nereid woman.

“You’ll pay for that.” The crustacean warrior glared at Drifter, his voice thick with fury.

The shark-man turned his gaze to Drifter, black sigils materializing around him. With a flick of his hand, he launched a swarm of spectral sharks, their jaws wide, ready to tear into him.

But suddenly, Dheandita’s melodic voice and the sound of her harp echoed through the water, rising into a final note.

Ocean’s Aria.

The shimmering bubbles around her pulsed before transforming into spectral fish, weaving through the water and intercepting the spectral sharks before they could reach Drifter.

At the same time, the crustacean warrior dissolved into green particles, materializing near Dheandita. His crimson blades lashed out toward her with deadly precision.

Dheandita raised her arm in a panic, instinctively guarding against the strike. But before it could land, a crystalline blade kicked through the water, slamming into the crustacean warrior with incredible force, sending him hurtling backward.

“Now that’s more like it!” Devita said, satisfied.

Once again, a volley of thunder projectiles lit up the depths, surging toward them.

Empowered by Ocean's Blessing, Alma and Luna moved in a blur, diving downward. Two glowing orbs—one pink, one blue—illuminated the darkness. While their Exalt Barrier and Ice Shield effortlessly deflecting the incoming projectiles.

“There!” Luna shouted.

Without hesitation, Luna and Alma unleashed a relentless barrage—Ice Bolt and Exalt Bolt—sending ice projectiles and pink orbs hurtling toward the humanoid jellyfish lurking in the shadows.

But just before impact, the jellyfish-man split into multiple copies.

"An illusion?" Alma muttered.

Luna's expression hardened as she conjured a series of glowing blue sigils.

"Glacialis Lanzaris."

A storm of ice spears shot forward, piercing through the illusions. Only one figure managed to evade the attack.

Then, he split again. Alma quickly traced his movements, closing in as Luna unleashed another wave of attacks, clashing against the clones’ lightning arrows. As her assault overwhelmed and struck down the illusions, one figure dodged at the last moment.

In a flash, Alma vanished and reappeared behind the real jellyfish-man, a grin on her face.

Fire magic swirled within the red sigil glowing in her hand, forming a blazing orb—Blazing Burst—which she detonated at point-blank range.

“Take that!”

The jellyfish-man was engulfed in a fiery explosion, his body floating weakly upward through the water, drifting toward the surface.

Hearing the explosion below, the shark-man briefly glanced downward before re-engaging in his fight with Devita and Drifter, his sharp teeth gritting in frustration. Beside him, the crustacean warrior struck again, his twin blades slicing toward Drifter.

Devita and Drifter moved in perfect synchronization. Devita easily dodged every strike from the shark-man, her movements fluid as she countered with a series of rapid kicks. Meanwhile, Drifter focused on the crustacean warrior, his spectral swords and swift movements pressing the attack. The crustacean's breath grew heavier, his movements slowing as the relentless barrage of spectral sword strikes and Exaltare forced him into a defensive stance.

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Sensing his ally's struggle, the shark-man lunged forward, his greatsword morphing into a massive skeletal shark, its jaws ready to devour Drifter. But before the attack could land, Devita instinctively kicked Drifter, sending him hurtling through the water, tumbling uncontrollably.

“Sorry... don’t kill me for this,” Devita said.

With their attention now focused on Devita, the shark-man and the crustacean warrior turned their blades toward her. She parried with the crystalline blade of her kick, narrowly evading their strikes as she danced above their blows.

As Drifter recovered, Devita spared him a brief glance, feinting a kick to distract the crustacean warrior. The warrior, seizing the opening, unleashed a flurry of wind energy blades, sharp gusts slicing through the water and converging into a tornado aimed straight at Devita. At the same time, the shark-man’s greatsword carved a deliberate arc, Its path was too precise to be reckless, too restrained to kill. But Devita evaded with fluid grace, spinning out of harm’s way before delivering a powerful kick to the shark-man’s side.

Just as the crustacean warrior completed his strike, Drifter teleported behind him, With deadly precision, he unleashed a flurry of slashes across the warrior’s back. Blood bloomed in the water, staining it red as the warrior staggered, gasping for breath. His movements slowed, and with a pained grunt, he retreated, clutching his bleeding wounds.

At the same time, Dheandita engaged the nereid woman. Bolts of ice and sharp ice spikes collided between them, creating flashes of light in the dark waters.

Then, Dheandita spotted an opening. With a swift move, she closed the distance and tackled the nereid woman. They spiraled deeper into the ocean, the fading light around them barely illuminating their struggle. As they sank further, Dheandita’s voice rang out, thick with emotion.

“Why are you helping them? They enslaved us all!”

The nereid woman gazed at her, sorrow flickering in her eyes, but she said nothing in return.

Without warning, the nereid woman conjured sharp ice shards and hurled them toward Dheandita. With a quick roll, Dheandita evaded the attack, creating distance between them once more.

“Retreat!” The shark-man’s voice echoed through the water, a command that sent the others into motion.

The nereid woman swiftly moved toward the nearby jellyfish-man, who was drifting weakly. Her grip tightened as she began to pull him upward, followed closely by the shark-man and the crustacean warrior. Dheandita could only watch as they vanished into the depths, leaving her behind.

Alma and Luna soon swam to her side, concern evident in their eyes.

“Well… that was really awesome, you know... Nice save back there, Dhea!” Alma said, her voice warm, though tinged with worry. Luna only smiled at her, offering silent reassurance.

Dheandita nodded, her attention drifting back to the scene unfolding around them. The villagers lay motionless on the water’s surface, many on the brink of death, some already gone. The ocean around them swirled with a haunting blend of blue and red—seawater stained with blood.

Together, Alma, Dheandita, and Drifter cast their healing magic, but for some, it was already too late.

The unease that had been gnawing at Dheandita’s gut deepened. The sight of so much blood in the ocean stirred something within her—a memory that felt just beyond her reach.

I hope it’s just a folk tale... she thought.

And then, she heard it.

The water trembled once more. A deep rumble echoed through the ocean, a sound that sent a chill down her spine.

Her voice rose, sharp with urgency. “Everyone, retreat! NOW!”

From the depths, a massive shadow emerged—a terrifying presence that overshadowed everything in its path. The Deepmaw Leviathan surged toward them. Its grotesque form, a horrific fusion of shark and whale, was encrusted with jagged barnacles, while rows of serrated teeth gleamed ominously. The water churned violently as it advanced, a force of nature in motion.

For a heartbeat, the group stood frozen, the calm they had fought so hard to reclaim shattering in an instant. Drifter, Alma, Luna, Devita, and Dheandita all felt the oppressive weight of impending doom. Their hearts pounded in their chests, the Leviathan’s massive eyes locking onto them, a predatory gleam within them.

Panic spread like wildfire among the villagers. They swam frantically, desperate to escape the terror rising from below.

The Leviathan drew closer, its massive mouth yawning wide.

“Help… please!” Dawn’s voice cracked through the chaos, a desperate cry.

Without hesitation, Drifter surged forward, unleashing Exalt Shift in quick succession as he blinked through the water. He reached Dawn just as the Leviathan's jaws snapped shut, narrowly avoiding the deadly bite. With a swift motion, he reappeared with the group.

“Thank you,” Dawn whispered, her voice trembling with fear and gratitude.

Drifter nodded with a faint smile, but his movements slowed. The effects of overusing his magic took their toll. His heart pounded, his breath came in heavy gasps. Dizziness struck, but he forced his eyes open. A trembling hand clutched his chest.

Luna and Alma immediately tried to use their magic—ice projectiles and Exalt Missiles—but they proved useless against the massive beast, barely even scratching its hide.

Luna wondered if she should use Glacialis Tempestus now, but the long casting time could be a problem. Her hand trembled ever so slightly as she maintained her composure.

Dheandita surveyed the fearful, struggling faces of the villagers—Alma, Luna, Devita, Drifter—all exhausted as the Leviathan drew closer. There was no other choice.

Her heartbeat quickened, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her chest. She gripped her pearl pendant tightly, the cold metal searing against her skin.

I’m sorry, Mom... she whispered inwardly, the pain of the decision to run, to leave her mother behind, gnawing at her soul.

She had chosen to save herself, leaving her mother and others to die during the revolt of forced laborers. lt She wondered if she had fought that day, would things have been different?

And who’s to blame? Her mind spiraled. Is it the government, for creating a world where such impossible choices were forced upon her? Or is it’s her, for not being strong enough to stay and fight?

But it didn’t matter anymore. The past was gone, out of her reach, and all that remained was the present. The only thing she could do now was move forward—no matter the cost.

Dheandita came to a sudden stop, closing her eyes as her breath caught in her throat. Her voice, raw and filled with sorrow, rose in a haunting melody that echoed through the water. As she sang, her pearl pendant began to glow softly.

What is she doing? Devita thought, glancing back at Dheandita, who had stopped swimming.

"Don’t tell me..." Alma's eyes widened as she tried to move, but then she noticed something beside her.

Luna, already moving quickly, tried to reach Dheandita. Drifter, too, attempted to move, but his breath was heavy and labored. His hand clutched his chest, trembling with the effort.

As the final note of her melody echoed, Dheandita whispered, “Tides of Eternity...”

The temperature dropped sharply, and a haunting stillness spread through the water. The tides froze and split, as an immense wall of ice began to form, encasing the Deepmaw Leviathan in a thick, impenetrable shell. The monster let out a deafening roar, but its movements slowed, its once unstoppable charge stilled by the magic.

Dheandita watched in stunned silence as the entire ocean around the Leviathan turned to ice. Schools of fish, once lively, now floated motionless, their forms frozen in time.

Then, she coughed up blood, her skin turning ashen, veins of ice creeping up her limbs. The cold spread through her like fire, but the numbness was far worse. The world around her blurred, slipping away, as if she were drifting into another realm.

The glowing pearl pendant faded, shattering into fragments around her neck. In that moment, she saw her mother’s face, slowly fading away. Tears trickled down her face, mingling with the saltwater surrounding her.

Goodbye, Mom…… She tried to speak, but her voice failed her.

The villagers, safe for the moment, murmured their thanks. Their breaths were shaky, but they were alive—and for now, that was enough.

Luna finally reached Dheandita, her heart sinking as she took in the girl's condition. Gently, she took her arm, recoiling slightly at the coldness that seemed to seep from her skin.

“Don't worry, Alma will help you. Let's get you there,” Luna said, her voice soft but firm.

Dheandita's gaze lingered on Luna for a moment, her eyes distant, as though she were lost in a world far beyond the water’s depths.

Alma rushed to her side, eyes wide, breath unsteady. "Dhea, let me help..."

Alma cast her Exalt healing magic, but the icy veins that had spread throughout Dheandita’s body refused to relent. She cast again, her hands trembling with the effort, but it was in vain. Tears welled in Alma’s eyes, helplessness washing over her.

“Alma... Please, stop...” Luna whispered, her voice barely audible as she placed a gentle hand on Alma’s shoulder.

Reluctantly, they turned and began to move, supporting Dheandita as they made their way toward the others.

When they reached Devita and Drifter, Devita gave Dheandita a nod. “Great work, Dhea. Using magic like that… That was amazing. I didn’t know you could do that.” Her voice carried a hint of admiration.

But as her gaze fell on the girl’s condition, her expression faltered.

The brief smile faded, and sorrow replaced it, filling her eyes with an undeniable heaviness.

Drifter gaze fixed on Dheandita. His fist tightened at his side. With a soft sigh, he turned away, moving silently alongside the group, each stroke in the water heavy with unspoken words.