After the suffocating silence of the Soul Mist, the normal sounds of the ocean—the howl of the wind, the song of the waves, the cries of gulls—felt like a feast. A loose cheer and deep respect for Sere had formed among the crew. They no longer saw her as just "the girl"; she was the beacon that had guided them through the haze.
Anya stood at the helm with even greater resolve. Following her father's trail was no longer a suicide mission, but a fight for salvation. The path of light Sere had created had ignited her faith.
"Our course is true," Anya said, as if confirming the Threshold Stone's strengthening pulse. "The Eye of Water is near. But if we encountered an illusion like the mist, we should fear what awaits us at the main target."
Moaito agreed with this warning. "The Void builds its defenses in layers. The mist was to wear down the mind. The next attack may be more direct, more physical."
Sere sat on the deck, studying the ancient sea charts Anya had given her. In the margins were notes in her father's handwriting: "The waters change color... fish die... the air grows sweet... beyond these signs lies the beginning of nothingness."
They sailed on without issue for a few more days. The sky was clear, the wind ideal. But at dawn on the fourth day, Anya's father's prophecy began to unfold.
First, the color of the water changed. From deep navy to a sickly, pale green. Then, dead fish with dull eyes appeared on the surface. And strangest of all, a sweet, almost putrid smell began to spread through the air, replacing the salty ocean scent.
"There," Anya whispered, her face tense. "The signs my father mentioned. We're approaching the Eye of Water."
The Threshold Stone throbbed on Sere's chest with an almost painful heat. It was no longer just a guide; it was an alarm.
Anya gave a "stop" signal, and the sails were lowered. The boat lay motionless in the strange, stagnant water. Around them, schools of dead fish drifted in an eerie silence.
Moaito came to the railing and dipped his hand into the water. He pulled it back instantly. "The water... it's lifeless. No life energy in it. Just... emptiness."
Just then, a massive, dark shadow emerged from the depths. The shadow passed slowly beneath the ship, so large it blotted out the sun for a moment. It was too irregular and fluid to be a whale or a giant squid. It seemed made of pure darkness.
The crew recoiled in horror.
"The Lord of the Depths," an old sailor spoke in a choked voice, his face ashen. "The legendary beast that swallows lost ships and sailors' souls!"
"That's no beast," Moaito corrected, his voice sharp and clear. "It's a manifestation of the Void in these waters. The guardian of the Eye of Water."
The shadow began to circle the boat. With each pass, the water grew darker, the air heavier. Then, black, sticky filaments began to rise from the water's surface. Unlike the formless shadows in the Soul Mist, these were tangible and threatening. They climbed the ship's hull, masts, and ropes, trying to pull it down into the depths.
"Cut them!" Anya shouted, drawing her axe.
Despite their fear, the crew attacked the dark tentacles to defend their ship. But when axes and swords cut the tentacles, the severed ends immediately regrew, and others grew stronger. This darkness seemed invulnerable to physical attacks.
Moaito struck a tentacle with Lumer. The light sword burned and vaporized the darkness for a moment, but two new tentacles immediately replaced it. "This isn't working! There are too many of them!"
Sere looked around desperately. The stone was burning her. The Eye of Water was very close, but this dark web was stopping them. Then, she remembered Anya's father's notes: "the beginning of nothingness."
These tentacles were nothingness. And physical force was useless against nothingness.
"Moaito!" Sere cried. "Give me your light! Like I did in the fog!"
She understood. Lumer's pure light alone wasn't enough. It had to combine with her intent.
Moaito didn't hesitate. He gathered the beam of light from Lumer into an orb of energy and directed it towards Sere.
Sere caught this orb of light with both hands. She closed her eyes and focused on the Threshold Stone. In her mind, she imagined a life-filled, clean ocean. The dance of fish, the colors of coral, the joy of dolphins. The way the Eye of Water should be.
"You are not death!" she cried, pressing the light orb against the stone on her chest. "You are the source of life! Awaken! Remember yourself!"
The Threshold Stone flashed explosively. The orb of light in Sere's hands transformed into a pure, intense life energy. This energy radiated out from the ship in waves, into the dark waters.
When the light touched the dark tentacles, it didn't destroy them. It transformed them. The black, sticky filaments turned into clear, blue water. As the light spread through the ocean, the sickly green water cleared, the dead fish (the real ones) sank, and were replaced by lively, brightly colored schools of fish.
The massive dark shadow beneath the water let out a scream faced with this pure life energy—a silent scream felt in everyone's soul—and fled into the depths.
Within seconds, the ocean had returned to normal. Perhaps even more alive and beautiful than before.
The crew watched, breathless. Then, they let out a victory cry. This time, it was a cry of deliverance from fear.
Anya hugged Sere. "My father was right," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "There is something there. But it's not nothingness... it's hope."
Moaito came to their side. He was tired, but proud. "You healed the Eye of Water itself," he said to Sere. "We didn't just win a battle. We... repaired this place."
Sere could barely stand from exhaustion, but her heart was filled with peace. She looked around. The revitalized ocean was her answer.
Anya pointed at the horizon. "Look."
In the distance, on the water, was a soft, whitish light rising from beneath the surface. It was so pure and beautiful it brought peace to all who saw it.
"The Eye of Water," Anya whispered. "It's there."
Their target was now visible. But this time, they were heading not to a battlefield, but to a sacred place. And there, they would find both the ultimate prize and the ultimate trial.