Chapter 36 meeting with Black water third time
The small vessel pushed farther into the black waters, leaving the relative safety of the harbor behind. At first, the journey had felt manageable — uneasy, but controlled. Yet the deeper they sailed, the more violent the sea became.
On the larger ships within the harbor, the motion of the waves had barely been noticeable. Those vessels were massive, stable, built to withstand the anger of the ocean. But this boat — this fragile, narrow craft — reacted to every pulse of the sea.
The difference was immediate.
The boat lurched sharply as a heavy wave struck its side, sending it tilting at a dangerous angle before crashing back down with a hollow, echoing slam. Water splashed across the deck, soaking the ropes and pooling around their boots. The mast groaned overhead, its wood straining as the wind clawed at the tightly bound sail.
Up. Down. Side to side.
The motion grew relentless. The vessel refused to remain steady even for a single breath. It rose violently with the swell of the waves, then plunged downward as though falling into unseen pits beneath the surface. Each movement threatened to throw them off balance.
Drakara struggled to steady herself.
Her heavy armor, built like a living fortress of layered black scales, made movement difficult on the unstable deck. The constant shifting of the vessel caused her footing to falter, the plates of her armor clashing faintly with every unsteady step.
Another violent wave struck.
The boat lurched sideways without warning.
For a brief moment, her balance failed completely.
Instinctively, she reached out.
Her armored hand seized Kai's arm.
The grip was firm — almost desperate.
Kai felt the sudden weight of her hold and turned sharply, momentarily surprised by the unexpected contact. Yet he did not pull away. He understood immediately — no one could maintain perfect balance in waters like these, especially while carrying such immense armor.
Another wave crashed against the hull, sending a violent tremor through the vessel. He steadied himself and guided her carefully toward a reinforced section of the deck where thick ropes had been tied along the sides.
"Sit here," he instructed.
With controlled movements, he helped lower her into position, ensuring her footing remained secure. Drakara tightened her grip on the ropes, anchoring herself against the violent motion of the sea.
Beside them, Trinity — her posture sharp and disciplined — braced herself against a wooden support beam. Though she maintained her balance better than most, even she was forced to adjust constantly as the vessel swayed beneath them.
The sky above had darkened. Thick clouds rolled across the heavens like slow-moving shadows, swallowing what little light remained. The sea beneath them appeared endless — vast and black, its surface churning like a living beast.
Kai turned his gaze forward, scanning the distant waters.
Then he spoke.
"Listen carefully," he said, his voice firm despite the roaring wind. "Once we reach that location… we will need to do something reckless."
Both women looked toward him.
"We dive," he continued. "Straight into the water."
The words hung heavily in the air.
"Whatever that creature is… it lives below the surface. The pendant will not be floating on the waves. It will be down there… hidden in the depths."
He paused briefly, his expression hardening.
"I know both of you made promises," he added. "And I respect that. But I need to ask something of you."
His tone grew sharper.
"When the time comes… I will be the only one who dives."
Trinity stiffened instantly.
Drakara's armor gave a low, rattling tremor.
"The descent will be mine alone," he said firmly. "That is final. I don't want arguments. I don't want resistance."
Silence lasted only a fraction of a moment.
Then both women spoke at once.
Trinity stepped forward, her movements sharp with restrained anger. Drakara's armor began to tremble violently, the plates grinding against each other as fury built within her. Her voice was already beginning to rise —
But before either of them could finish speaking, Kai moved.
He stepped forward.
Then — he raised his voice.
"Enough."
The single word erupted from him like thunder. It was not a request. It was a command. The sound tore through the chaos of the storm, overpowering the roar of the waves and the howl of the wind. Even the creaking of the mast seemed to fade beneath its force.
Drakara's armor stopped trembling instantly.
Trinity froze mid-motion.
Even the loose bottles and tools scattered across the deck — objects that had been rattling violently from the motion of the ship — seemed to fall silent for a brief, unnatural moment.
The authority in his voice had cut through everything.
"I said," he continued, his tone lower now but far more dangerous, "that I will be the one to dive."
His gaze moved from one woman to the other.
"This is not a matter of pride," he said. "It is a matter of survival."
The sea roared around them. The boat rose sharply once more, then crashed downward into another dark trough of water. And ahead — far in the distance — the horizon began to change.
Jagged black spires started to emerge from the surface of the sea like the broken teeth of some ancient beast, marking the boundary where the black waters ended… and the forbidden deep began.
The boat lurched once more as a violent wave struck its side, sending cold spray across the deck. Then, with a sudden jolt, the vessel slowed.
The sailor at the stern tightened his grip on the rope and shook his head firmly.
"I will not go any farther than this," he said, his voice strained but resolute. "Beyond this point… the waters do not forgive mistakes."
The boat rocked heavily in place, rising and falling between jagged black spires of stone that jutted from the sea like broken spears. The water here was darker than before — thick, restless, almost alive.
Kai nodded once.
"Understood."
He turned slowly and looked back at the two women.
"Stay here," he said quietly.
Drakara's armored figure remained rigid, unmoving, while Trinity watched him with sharp, burning eyes. Neither spoke — but their silence carried resistance.
Without waiting for argument, he stepped toward the edge of the vessel.
The wind howled across the water, tugging at his clothes as waves slammed violently against the hull. He placed one hand on the wet railing, feeling the cold slickness beneath his palm. The sea stretched endlessly below — dark, deep, and merciless.
For a brief moment, he stood still.
Then he moved.
With a controlled motion, he stepped onto the outer ledge of the boat, balancing against the violent sway of the vessel. The world seemed to narrow into a single point — the endless black beneath him.
He bent his knees slightly.
His muscles tightened.
And then — he leaped.
His body cut cleanly through the air, slicing past the spray of crashing waves. For a heartbeat, he was suspended between sky and sea.
Then the water swallowed him.
---
The impact was sharp and brutal. Freezing darkness wrapped around him instantly, pressing against his body from every direction. The sound of the surface vanished, replaced by the heavy silence of the deep.
He began to swim.
At first, his movements were steady but cautious. He kicked downward, forcing his body deeper into the cold abyss. The water grew heavier the farther he descended, pressing against his limbs like unseen chains.
He was not the strongest swimmer — but determination carried him forward.
Downward.
Deeper.
The black water seemed endless. There was no visible bottom, no clear direction — only darkness stretching in every direction like an infinite void.
His lungs tightened.
The pressure increased.
Still, he pushed forward.
Then, after several moments, he turned sharply and surged upward.
His head broke through the surface with a violent gasp. Air rushed into his lungs as he inhaled deeply, drawing breath after breath. He blinked rapidly, clearing water from his eyes.
The ship was far away.
Much farther than he expected.
Either he had swum too far… or the waves had carried the vessel backward without warning.
The realization sent a sharp chill through him.
But he did not hesitate.
He tilted his head back and inhaled again — slowly, deeply, filling his lungs to their absolute limit.
Once.
Twice.
Again… deeper… deeper… deeper…
He drew in as much air as his body could hold.
Then he sealed his breath.
His muscles tightened.
And with explosive force — he kicked downward.
---
The dive was faster this time. Sharper. More controlled.
He plunged into the water like a missile, slicing through the surface and driving himself downward with powerful strokes. His legs kicked violently, propelling him deeper and deeper into the black depths.
The light above faded rapidly.
Soon, nothing remained but darkness.
Complete darkness.
The water swallowed all color, all shape, all sense of direction. It felt as though he had fallen into a bottomless void where time itself no longer moved.
Still, he pressed forward.
Then — something appeared.
At first, it was only a faint outline. A jagged silhouette emerging from the endless dark.
Rock.
Sharp, uneven rock.
He slowed slightly, narrowing his gaze.
Before him rose a towering formation — like a broken pillar driven upward from the abyssal floor. It stretched upward like a twisted tower, its surface scarred and uneven, covered with strange ridges that resembled the remains of ancient coral or fossilized bone.
It resembled a mountain… but not one shaped by nature alone.
As he moved closer, the structure became clearer.
At its peak — flattened into a smooth, unnatural surface — something gleamed faintly in the dim light filtering from above.
Gold.
Jewels.
Treasures beyond counting.
A vast mound of riches lay scattered across the summit — piles of gold coins, broken crowns, jeweled necklaces, polished gemstones, and ornaments from countless forgotten ships. Diamonds reflected faint rays of light like distant stars trapped beneath the ocean.
It was a graveyard of wealth.
A hoard.
But surrounding that glittering mountain…
Something moved.
Slowly.
Massive limbs lay draped across the edges of the treasure mound — thick, coiled, and pale. At first, they appeared like twisted ropes or fallen pillars.
Then one of them shifted.
A tentacle.
Enormous.
Covered in rows of dark suction cups that pulsed faintly as water flowed over them.
The realization struck instantly.
A gigantic octopus.
Its massive body rested atop the treasure like a monstrous guardian, its limbs wrapped around the hoard as if claiming it as its own. Its skin blended almost perfectly with the surrounding rock, making it nearly invisible in the darkness.
For one terrifying moment, nothing moved.
Then —
The creature's eye opened.