The black water was up to their chests. It was freezing cold. It felt like heavy ice pressing against their ribs.
The Founder's room was almost completely full. The old papers and broken pieces of glass floated away in the dark tide. The heavy wooden door was completely underwater. There was no way out.
Mira was crying. Seren was holding her breath, her face pale. Nia and Reyon were struggling to stay afloat in the heavy, dark water.
But Lina was not looking at the water. She was looking at her hand.
The golden stone in her palm was burning hot. It did not hurt her. It felt like holding a tiny, warm sun. The stone was pulsing with a bright, steady light. It was reacting to the dark water.
"It is a compass," Lina realized. She wiped the cold water from her eyes. "Kai hid his true name inside his soul. It wants to go home. It wants to go back to the cage."
The golden light pushed through the dark water. It acted like a beam, cutting through the black flood. The light pointed straight toward the back of the room. It pointed at the giant, cold stone fireplace.
"Follow the light!" Lina yelled. Her voice was weak, but it carried over the sound of the rushing water. "Swim to the fireplace!"
They pushed through the heavy water. It was so cold their muscles cramped. Lina kept her hand up, following the bright golden beam.
They reached the stone fireplace. The water was almost touching the ceiling now. There was only a tiny pocket of air left.
Lina took a deep breath and dove under. She swam to the back of the fireplace. She pressed the glowing golden stone hard against the center of the cold stone wall.
The wall shuddered.
A hidden door in the back of the fireplace swung open. It revealed a dark, dry tunnel.
Lina grabbed Mira and pushed her into the dry tunnel. Then she pushed Seren, Reyon, and Nia. The water was rising fast, swallowing the last bit of air. Lina took one last breath and pulled herself into the tunnel just as the water filled the room completely.
She kicked the hidden stone shut behind them. It locked with a heavy thud.
They collapsed on the dry, dusty floor of the tunnel. They coughed and gasped, spitting out the dirty water. They were shivering, but they were alive.
"We made it," Mira whispered. She hugged her knees. "We are out of the water."
Lina sat up. She opened her hand. The golden stone was still glowing, but the light was softer now. It felt calm. Kai's true name was safe.
"Let's keep moving," Nia said. She stood up and brushed the dust off her wet uniform. "This tunnel must lead outside. Or to a higher floor."
They walked slowly down the narrow, dark tunnel. The air was dry and smelled like old earth. The only sound was their wet footsteps and their heavy breathing.
They walked for a long time. The tunnel began to slope upward. Finally, they saw a faint, pale light ahead. It was the end of the tunnel.
They hurried toward the light. The tunnel opened up into a large, circular stone room. It was the base of the old clock tower. The moonlight shone through the high windows.
But they were not alone.
Standing in the middle of the room, blocking the only exit, was the False Kai.
He was perfectly dry. His uniform was clean. His hair was neat. He looked like he had just woken up from a peaceful sleep. He was not smiling. His face was completely blank.
He looked at Lina's hand. He looked at the glowing golden stone.
"You found it," the False Kai said. His voice was smooth and polite. It echoed in the quiet stone room. "The boy hid his name very well. But you should not have brought it out of the water, Lina."
He took one slow step forward. His empty, dark eyes locked onto hers.
"Now," the False Kai whispered, "give me the name. Or I will take it from your cold hands."
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2026
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Next Chapter Summary for Chapter 134: Lina refuses to hand over Kai's true name, leading to a terrifying confrontation in the clock tower, but the golden stone reveals a shocking new power.