Habondia's heart felt heavy as she urged the Each-Uisge toward the campsite, tears tracing a path down her cheeks. The weight of sorrow bore down on her, threatening to crush her spirit beneath its relentless burden. Yet, she rode on.
As she reached the lake shore, a sense of dizziness washed over her, causing the world to spin around her in a disorienting whirl. The horse beneath her suddenly bucked, sending her tumbling into the icy embrace of the water. The mischievous Each-Uisge let out a mocking neigh before vanishing into the depths, leaving Habondia alone in the cold, unforgiving waters. She was grateful that it had spared her from its usual energy-draining embrace, knowing all too well the mental toll of taming such creatures.
Submerged in the murky depths, Habondia's racing mind began to calm as a faint glimmer caught her eye. A soft, ethereal light beckoned to her, drawing her downward toward the lake’s depths. Gasping for air once back on the surface, she grabbed her binoculars still secure in her pocket. She aligned the light with the castle's smithy as a surge of excitement coursed through her veins. "They match perfectly!"
Habondia summoned her water fairies, the delicate beings swirling around her before merging with her skin and transforming into glistening fish gills nestled along her neck. With a gasp of wonder, she felt the rush of water fill her new gills, granting her the ability to breathe beneath the surface.
She dove once more into the icy waters of the lake. Despite the comforting flow of oxygen through her gills, her lungs still burned as if still struggling for air.
The beckoning light shimmered ahead like a distant lighthouse, guiding her through the shadowed expanse of the underwater world. With each powerful stroke of her arms, Habondia propelled herself forward, the water swirling around her in a graceful dance. The rhythmic sound of her own heartbeat echoed in her ears.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Upon reaching the source of the light, Habondia gazed upon a sight that stirred her soul—a submerged structure crafted from ancient stones, a gigantic crannog sunk at the lake's bottom. She navigated through the ruins with a sense of reverence, her fingers trailing along the weathered stones as she delved deeper into the hidden world below.
She entered a narrow tunnel, the water swirling around her as she descended into the depths. Guided by the faint light filtering through the water, she followed the twisting path, each turn leading her further into the heart of the submerged crannog.
Finally, the tunnel opened into a small chamber, where Habondia surfaced, gasping for breath in the dusty air. Blinking away the water from her eyes, she found herself on a rocky island within the crannog, a sense of unease creeping over her as her gaze fell upon a figure shrouded in mystery.
Before her lay a girl, clad in tattered garments and wearing a mask that sent a shiver down Habondia's spine. A relic of ancient power and dark rituals adorned the girl's face, its twisted horns casting eerie shadows in the dim light. Habondia's breath caught in her throat as she realized the girl's startling resemblance to a corpse, her pallid skin and shallow breaths a haunting sight.
Struggling to contain her emotions, Habondia swam toward the artificial island. Then she approached the girl with cautious steps. The girl stirred slightly, her voice barely a whisper as she uttered words that Habondia could not comprehend.
“Hello,” Habondia said. "I am Habondia."
A deep, guttural rumble reverberated behind Habondia, causing her to turn around. An intense surge of anger emanated from the approaching figure, a familiar yet unwelcome presence that loomed over her. Before she could react, a powerful force pushed her, sending her crashing into the icy waters once more.