A deep water... Illska sank and continued to sink in the cold ocean.
"Olaug! Olaug!" Illska's desperate cries reverberated through the water, the exhalation of her breath forming misty clouds around her. Yet, the vast emptiness offered no response; there was only the haunting silence of solitude.
It seemed like the ocean had invaded every fiber of Illska's being. Perhaps her body had already succumbed to the relentless intrusion of water, leaving her with nothing but an overwhelming sense of suffering. With a heavy heart, Illska resigned herself to the abyss and closed her eyes.
However, an unexpected force disrupted the descent. Someone seized Illska and pulled her upwards.
As she was cradled in the rescuer's embrace, a voice reassured her, "Amazing Illska, thank you… thank you for making it this far, Illska; just a little more and we can get to the promised place." The words brought solace as the past unfolded in vivid images, flooding into Illska's consciousness.
