Yalena and Maui descended deeper into the cavern, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls while the distant sound of water played in the background.

Yalena’s Star Water was summoned in five large orbs, illuminating the path behind and before them.

The air stunk, and there was less oxygen as they descended.

“There’s someone ahead,” Maui said.

Yalena, who had felt a faint aura as well, nodded back.

The air grew thicker and more oppressive with each step, carrying the faint scent of brine and something else - something unsettling.

“Stay close, Maui,” Yalena whispered, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

Her white hair seemed to glow faintly as a result of reflecting her magic.

Maui nodded, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Yes, milady,” he replied, his voice tight with tension.

As they rounded a bend in the tunnel, the passage opened up into a vast chamber.

The ceiling stretched high above them, lost in shadows. But it was what lay at the center of the room that drew their attention.

A well stood there, its stone rim worn smooth by time.

But unlike any ordinary well, this one emanated an aura of power that made the air around it shimmer and distort.

The water within was black as night, seeming to absorb what little light reached it.

“The Dark Water Well,” Yalena breathed, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and apprehension.

As they approached, a figure stepped out from behind the well.

Cloaked in shadows, the person’s features were hard to make out, but there was no mistaking the malevolent energy that radiated from them.

“Welcome,” the figure said, its voice a low rasp. “We’ve been expecting you, Yalena Solara.”

Yalena’s hand tightened on her weapon.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

The figure chuckled, the sound dry and humorless. “A servant of the Deep, just like you. Though perhaps our methods differ somewhat.”

“You’re a Cultist,” Maui spat, taking a step forward.

“Such a crude term,” the figure replied, shaking its head. “We prefer to think of ourselves as... visionaries.”

Yalena’s eyes narrowed.

“What do you want? Why are you here?”

The Cultist spread its arms wide, gesturing to the well.

“To show you the truth, of course. The power that lies dormant here, waiting to be awakened.”

“The Dark Water Well,” Yalena said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Indeed,” the Cultist nodded while dragging his words. “A source of power beyond imagination. But, like all great things, it comes at a price. Are you ready to pay the price?”

Maui tensed, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

“What price?”

The Cultist’s voice took on a reverent tone.

“Why, life, of course. Thousands of lives, to be precise. Their energy, their very essence, is what will awaken the well’s true potential. It’s the only currency to achieve what you came looking for.”

Yalena felt a chill run down her spine.

“Thousands? You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, but I am,” the Cultist replied, a note of excitement creeping into its voice. “Even now, our plans are in motion. The Drakes we’ve bred will soon overrun Placid City, providing the sacrifice needed to fully activate the well.”

Maui’s face paled.

“The entire city? You’re mad!”

The Cultist laughed, the sound echoing off the chamber walls.

“Mad? No, my young friend. We are visionaries, as I said. We know things. We see the bigger picture—pictures, pictures, pictures. A grand design that eludes lesser minds.”

Yalena took a step closer to the well, her eyes fixed on the dark water within.

“How does it work?” she asked, her voice low and intense. “Tell me everything.”

“Milady! You can’t be serious! Let’s kill this worm and go back!”

The Cultist seemed pleased by her interest, but he ignored Maui’s words.

“Ah, curiosity. A trait to be admired, even in our enemies.”

It moved to stand beside the well, running a hand along its stone rim. “The Dark Water Well is ancient, predating even the oldest records of our civilization. It draws power from the Deep itself, channeling it into a form we can harness.”

“But why is there a need for sacrifice?” Yalena pressed.

“Energy, my dear, vitality,” the Cultist explained. “The well requires an enormous amount of energy to fully awaken and bestow a Dark Water Affinity. And what greater source of energy is there than life itself?”

It gestured towards the cavern entrance.

“As the Drakes ravage the city above, the energy released by each death will flow down here, filling the well.”

Maui’s face contorted with disgust.

“You’re talking about murder on a massive scale!”

The Cultist shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the accusation.

“A necessary evil, for the greater good. Once awakened, the power of the Dark Water Well could reshape our world. Imagine it - an end to the constant threat of Abyssal Creatures, the ability to control the Deep itself!”

Yalena’s mind raced, processing the information. The power the Cultist spoke of was tempting, she had to admit. With such strength at her disposal, defeating the Kraken would be all but assured. But the cost…

Still, Yalena could imagine how the rest of the Archipelago, who would never know she had let these people die, would treat her like a hero among heroes once she had slain the Kraken for good.

“And what happens to those who survive?” she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart.

The Cultist’s tone grew somber.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Few will, I’m afraid. The ritual requires near-total destruction. But those who do survive will be the foundation of a new world order, one where humanity no longer cowers in fear of the Deep.”

Maui couldn’t contain himself any longer.

“This is insanity!” he shouted, drawing his sword. “We won’t let you-”

“Maui,” Yalena said sharply, holding up a hand to stop him. Her eyes never left the Cultist. “How long until the ritual begins?”

The Cultist tilted its head, considering.

“Soon. Very soon. Even now, the first wave of Drakes should be emerging. Your friend, the young Lord Kane, I believe? He’s likely engaged in battle as we speak.”

Yalena’s heart clenched at the mention of Iakopo’s name.

“Milady, you can’t!” Maui pleaded. “Thousands of people will die! It’s almost as bad as the Kraken itself attacking a city! We need to go!”

Yalena looked between Maui and the Cultist.

“Do we need to do anything in particular to activate the well?”

“No, you just submerge yourself in it once it has collected enough energy. Just beware, my friend, Dark Water changes the soul. You can’t bathe in it and get out unscathed.”

“You don’t need to do anything? No Cultist magic?”

“Why, no, of course not. I couldn’t hope to interfere with such magnificent magic. I am barely a servant here to guide you through the benefits and extend an invitation to join our cause for the betterment—”

Yalena slashed her arm forward, and the Cultist’s head was removed from his body, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping in surprise at her move.

Then, she turned to Maui.

“Are you loyal to me?”

Maui trembled.

Yalena walked forward and took Maui’s chin, bringing her lips tantalizingly close to his.

“Are you loyal to me?”

“Y—Yes, milady,” Maui said.

“Step in the well,” she ordered. “And wait.”

“W—what?” Maui was confused. “Aren’t you the one acquiring Dark Water?”

Yalena shook her head.

“I suspect it would eat away my Star Water Affinity, and we need it for the Ritual.”

“Milady,” Maui said hesitantly, looking between her and the Dark Water Well. “Are we really not going up? Iakopo won’t be able to protect all the civilians if there are so many Drakes.”

“Maui,” Yalena said candidly, “I have killed the Cultist. We will say that he had trapped us here. I’ll come up with an excuse good enough. It will be my word against Iakopo’s. A few thousand lives are not comparable to the ones we will keep losing if the Kraken runs amok for another ten years.”

Maui felt tears coming out of his eyes, but he bit his lower lip and nodded solemnly.

“As you wish, milady.”

“Enter the well, then,” she ordered coldly.

Maui did as she said, climbing down the well until Yalean couldn’t see his head anymore.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Placid City, chaos reigned uncontested.

Iakopo stood atop a partially collapsed building, his clothes torn and singed, blood trickling from a cut above his eye.

Around him, the city burned.

The air was filled with the screams of the dying and the roars of Drakes as they rampaged through the streets.

He had been fighting since they emerged, probably for a full half-hour.

His Space Water had allowed him to take down dozens of Drakes, twisting reality itself to crush or dismember the monstrous creatures.

But for everyone he fell, two more seemed to take its place.

More importantly, the magic of his Shield and Retinue could only contain his Space Magic for so long. He needed Yalena if he was to face more of the monsters.

“Keep fighting!” he shouted to the handful of Water Riders who still stood with him. “We can’t let them break through to the residential district!”

A young Water Rider, barely out of her teens, one of the seniors he had chosen, stumbled towards him.

Her left arm hung uselessly at her side, clearly broken.

“Sir,” she gasped, her face pale with pain and exhaustion. “There’s too many. We can’t hold them back much longer.”

Iakopo gritted his teeth, knowing she was right.

They were losing ground with each passing minute.

But to give up now would mean the death of everyone in Placid City.

“We hold,” he said firmly. “No matter the cost.”

Just then, a deafening roar split the air.

Iakopo turned, his heart sinking as he saw what approached.

A massive Drake, easily twice the size of the others, was making its way towards them.

Not a boss, just a strong one, Iakopo thought with relief.

“By the Deep,” the young Water Rider whispered, her voice trembling.

Iakopo placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Get the others to fall back,” he said, his voice low and intense. “I’ll handle this one.”

“But sir-”

“Go!” he shouted, already moving to intercept the monstrous Drake.

As Iakopo approached, the creature turned its massive head towards him, nostrils flaring as it caught his scent.

With surprising speed for its size, it charged.

Iakopo waited until the last possible moment before activating his Space Water, trying to minimize the damage he would deal to his surroundings.

Reality warped around him, the very fabric of space twisting to his will.

He intended to create a weak spatial rift that would slice the Drake in two.

But something was wrong.

The Drake’s hide seemed to resist his power, the spatial distortions sliding off its scales like water off oil.

Iakopo’s eyes widened in shock.

They have extremely high resistance to magic. I can’t pull back my punches…

The Drake’s massive tail whipped around, catching Iakopo squarely in the chest.

The impact sent him flying, crashing through the wall of a nearby building.

Pain exploded through his body as he struggled to his feet, spitting blood.

“Damn it,” he muttered, his mind racing.

If Space Water wasn’t effective, what options did he have left?

As he emerged from the rubble, he saw the Drake advancing on the group of Water Riders he had ordered to retreat.

They stood their ground bravely, but against such a monster, they stood no chance.

Iakopo knew he had only one option.

So far, he had only been using [Space Water Manipulation] as sparingly as he could.

But he knew this wasn’t enough anymore.

He swallowed, clenching his jaw, and shouted at the Water Riders.

“Get out! Get away from here!”

They all scrambled away, very well aware of his powers.

“You, bastard, come here!” Iakopo shouted at the Drake, releasing small bursts of Space Water against the monster.

Thankfully, the stupid Abyssal Creature took the bait.

“That’s right,” Iakopo growled, his voice distorted by the energy surging through him. “Come, you overgrown lizard.”

The Drake charged, its maw opening wide to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Iakopo waited, gathering more and more power until the beast was right upon him.

As the Drake was about to bite his head off, he raised his hand in front of him and flickered a single finger in the monster’s direction, activating all his Passive Skills and the main attacking Skill at the lowest potency he could.

[Shatter]

Iakopo’s finger flickered, and for a heartbeat, the world stood still.

Then, a ripple in space surged outward from his fingertip—a translucent wave that distorted everything it touched.

The air hummed with raw energy as the Space Water expanded, its power magnifying exponentially.

The Drake lunged forward, but its momentum was futile.

The spatial distortion enveloped it, and in an instant, the creature began to unravel.

Scales peeled away, dissolving into nothingness as its massive form contorted.

A guttural roar escaped its throat, but the sound was warped, stretched thin across the fabric of reality.

The Drake’s body twisted and fragmented, each piece swallowed by the void until there was nothing left but a faint shimmer in the air.

The wave didn’t stop there.

It surged onward, tearing into the building behind the Drake.

Stone and timber crumbled effortlessly, walls collapsing inward as if sucked into an invisible vortex.

Windows shattered, shards of glass suspended momentarily before disintegrating.

The structure imploded, reduced to dust, and scattered into the swirling maelstrom of distorted space.

Iakopo’s eyes widened as he felt the Space Water continuing forward.

The energy he had unleashed was more potent than anticipated, a tidal wave threatening to consume everything.

“No!” he shouted, desperately trying to rein it in.

Veins bulged in his neck as he fought against the overwhelming force.

But this was the nature of Space Water—wild, impossible to stop.

The fleeing Water Riders glanced back, their faces pale with horror.

The spatial distortion was expanding toward them, warping the ground beneath their feet.

Streets twisted, cobblestones lifting and spiraling upward.

Nearby buildings groaned, their frames bending at unnatural angles.

“Keep running!” one of them screamed, urging the others forward.

Panic surged through the group as they pushed themselves to their limits, the chaotic energy nipping at their heels.

Iakopo gritted his teeth, summoning every ounce of strength.

He thrust his hands forward, channeling his will into containing the devastation.

Slowly, the expansion began to slow, the edges of the distortion flickering as it lost momentum.

The humming in the air intensified, reaching a piercing crescendo before the spatial ripples started to retract.

With a final, forceful push, Iakopo clapped his hands together, and the Space Water collapsed inward.

The lingering distortions snapped back into place, reality reasserting itself over the chaos.

The ground settled, and the warped structures ceased their groaning.

Silence fell over the battlefield.

Where the Drake and the building once stood was now a gaping void, a smooth crater etched into the heart of the city.

Dust hung in the air, illuminated by the eerie glow of distant fires.

Iakopo dropped to one knee, his breaths ragged.

Pieces of the massive Drake had been spat out of the void, a gory display of blood and flesh.

But as Iakopo looked up, his heart sank.

In the distance, he could see another wave of Drakes approaching.

Smaller than the one he had just defeated, but far more numerous.

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of the creatures were making their way toward the city.

“No,” Iakopo whispered, despair washing over him. He had given everything he had to defeat one monster. How could they possibly hope to stand against so many?

As the horde of Drakes drew nearer, Iakopo struggled to his feet.

“Everyone get away,” he called out, using Space Water to transmit his voice to every person close to him. “Get away from me!”

Then, he sent his voice to his family.

“Hi’iaka, get everyone and get ready, I need Ozone Water all around the civilians, make as strong shields as you can! There are too many Drakes, I need to fight at full-power!”

“Consider it done!” His older sister screamed through his Space Water. “Where’s Yalena?!”

“She’s still in the cave,” Iakopo said bleakly. “I really hope she’ll come out soon. Or many are going to die today.”